LaSalle hosts LAYFS ministries; preview ACE symposium

Nearly 100 rofessionals from the five Lasallian ministries that comprise what is known as the Lasallian Association for Youth and Family Services (LAYFS) gather at LaSalle School on March 26th for their 2015 conference.

Ocean Tides, St. Gabriel’s System, Martin de Porres Schools, Tides Family Services, and LaSalle School are all located on the east coast and part of the De La Salle Christian Brother’s District of Eastern North America. These LAYFS ministries work with one mission in common: Caring for poor and disadvantaged children and families.

This two-day conference began with lunch served by LaSalle School’s culinary arts students and staff, ministry sharing and introductions moderated by DENA’s Maryann Donohue-Lynch followed by presentations by DENA’s Brother Brian Henderson, FSC, a history of LAYFS and its connection to the Lasallian mission by ‘Skip’ Gaus from St. Gabriel’s, and Ocean Tides Research Project description from Lawrence Grebstein, Ph.D and Judy Van Wyk, Ph.D – both from the University of Rhode Island.

After dinner, LaSalle Executive Director Bill Wolff described the next day’s ACE Symposium at UAlbany and introduced ACE Study Co-Founder, Dr. Robert Anda and LaSalle’s Director of Clinical Services David Wallace to give an overview of the event. Kari Sisson, executive director of the American Association of Children’s Residential Centers (AACRC) commented on how impressed she was at how quickly the registration filled for this symposium which, on a national level, signals the expanding role of ACEs in the care of adolescent youth in residential treatment centers and the healthcare arena.

At the close of this year’s LAYFS conference, participants had learned more about their agencies and ministries and were able to connect with national experts on a topic of increasing importance: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma, and response.

Behind the scenes, culinary arts students and staff were busy all afternoon chopping, cutting, dicing, and preparing appetizers including goat cheese balls and grilled asparagus wrapped in bacon, and the dinner entrée of chicken cordon bleu, homemade breads, and salads topped off with pies and cakes for dessert.

Photos courtesy of the District of Eastern North America, and LaSalle School.

LaSalle School is a leader in programs and services for youth and families in crisis offering a variety of programs designed to meet their needs including specialized residential placement, day service education, and alternative to detention services.
The Counseling Center at LaSalle is an OMH licensed outpatient mental health clinic located at LaSalle School, and currently implementing ACE treatment practices with youth and families.