Codington County’s ‘HEART’ for Resilience: ACEs Training Reaches 125 Residents

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - In a major step toward building a trauma-informed community, Codington County Community Service Director Sara Foust reported a significant turnout for recent educational sessions focused on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). During the April 14, 2026, Board of Commissioners meeting, Foust highlighted the success of the multi-day event, which drew a total of 125 attendees across three separate sessions.

The training, held on March 30th and 31st, was designed to help residents and professionals understand how early childhood trauma can impact long-term physical and mental health.

A Milestone for Community Education

The HEART group spearheaded the initiative—an acronym for Healing, Education, Awareness, Resilience, and Trauma—which operates under the umbrella of the county’s systems-of-care work.

Foust expressed her enthusiasm for the community’s engagement, noting the high quality of interaction during the sessions.

“That was a great event with some really great turnout and information shared there,” Foust told the board during her monthly report.

The attendance of 125 residents represents a broad cross-section of the Watertown community, reflecting a growing local interest in addressing the root causes of behavioral and health challenges.

Supporting Parents and Strengthening Families

The ACEs training is part of a broader, sustained effort by the HEART group to provide local families with the tools they need to thrive. Beyond simply identifying trauma, the group focuses on resilience—helping parents and caregivers create stable, nurturing environments for children.

Foust emphasized that the work is far from over.

“They’re [the HEART group] continuing to work on community awareness and events that we can do to support parents in our community,” Foust stated.

Expanding the Message

The success of the ACEs training has provided momentum for the county’s next phase of outreach. Foust informed the commissioners that the Community Awareness Campaign steering committee has officially launched its collaboration with a professional marketing company. This partnership aims to take the data and lessons learned from events like the ACEs training and turn them into a comprehensive public awareness strategy that will roll out over the next few months.

Residents looking for more information on upcoming trauma-informed events, parent resources, or community health initiatives are encouraged to visit www.codingtonconnects.com.