Health Federation of Philadelphia’s Leslie Lieberman named #SesameHero

Leslie Lieberman

Philadelphia, PA – Leslie Lieberman, MSW, the Health Federation of Philadelphia’s (HFP) Senior Director of Special Initiatives and Consulting was named a #SesameHero by Sesame Street in Communities.  The #SesameHero campaign, which kicked off in October 2017, recognizes the many heroes who provide support and services to family and children.  Lieberman was honored in large part due to her work around building the trauma-informed movement through the Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities (MARC) program, a national initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The California Endowment.   

Lieberman, who has been with HFP in multiple leadership capacities for more than 10 years, shared an overview of the importance of a trauma-informed approach with Sesame Street in Communities, “Most people are aware that when bad things happen to children, it can affect them for a lifetime. But many people do not know the full impact that trauma can have on all aspects of child development and that there are simple things that can be done to prevent and ameliorate the impact of childhood trauma. In the best of all possible worlds, children would have access to healthy nurturing relationships at all times and in all places. Sadly, this isn’t always the case, but the good news is that even when children experience adversity, the damage can be undone or mitigated through nurturing relationships. Positive brain changes can happen with good relationships. With regard to communities, much the same is true.”

A collaborative of communities across the country working to address trauma and build resilience, MARC has become a trusted resource among those focused on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).  In addition to MARC, Lieberman’s portfolio of work at HFP includes directing a number of training programs geared toward care providers, community-based organizations, agencies of local government, and other public and private institutions.  One such program is HFP’s Multiplying Connections program, which seeks to create more and higher quality connections between young children and caring adults by offering trauma-informed training to people in public organizations who work with children and families.  Lieberman also leads the Philadelphia ACE Task Force (PATF) staff and serves as a member of the Task Force’s steering committee.  

For more information about MARC please contact Clare Reidy at creidy@healthfederation.org or visit http://marc.healthfederation.org
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About MARC: The Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities (MARC) program brings together 14 sites actively engaged in building the movement for a just, healthy and resilient world. A mix of cities, counties, regions, and states, these communities are all turning the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and resilience into practices and policies with the potential to transform every aspect of human life.

About Health Federation of Philadelphia: The Health Federation of Philadelphia serves as a keystone supporting a network of Community Health Centers as well as the broader base of public and private-sector organizations that deliver health and human services to vulnerable populations. We promote community health by improving access to and quality of health care; by identifying, testing and implementing solutions to health disparities; and by providing training and technical assistance to help other organizations operate more efficiently and effectively.