Traumatic events at an early age can influence how a child develops and creates a lasting adverse effect.

Health providers, mental health professionals, school personnel and community members are invited to attend a free seminar to discuss “The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Behavioral Health in Kane County,” presented by Kane Health Counts.

The symposium will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, at Riverview Banquets, 1117 North Washington Ave. in Batavia. A light breakfast will be served. Seating is limited.

Registration is required at KHC2019symposium.eventbrite.com.

A panel of experts will discuss how Kane County is working to become a trauma-informed community. Panelists include Susan Mrazek, early childhood mental health consultant for DuPage and Kane counties, John Heiderscheidt, director of School Safety and Culture for School District U-46 and Rehna Becker, a therapist from TriCity Family Services.

The event will highlight the programs, partnerships and strategies of the Kane Health Counts Community Health Improvement Plan.

Also on the agenda will be short presentations highlighting the bright spots from the three actions teams focused on the CHIP’s priorities: Behavioral Health, Chronic Disease and Income and Education.

Kane Health Counts is a collaboration of public health partners striving to improve the health of Kane County. Partners include the five local hospitals — Presence Mercy Medical Center, Presence Saint Joseph Hospital, Northwestern Medicine/Delnor Hospital, Rush Copley Medical Center, Advocate Sherman Hospital — plus the INC Board, a mental health alliance serving the southern part of the county, and the Kane County Health Department.

For more information about Kane Health Counts, please visit KaneHealthCounts.org.

For more information about the symposium, contact Kane County Health Department Community Health Planner Stacy Zeng at zengstacy@co.kane.il.us.

SOURCE: Kane County Health Department news release