Schedule of Events

In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, where it concluded that there is no constitutional protection of abortion. This landmark decision reversed nearly fifty years of precedent established by the cases of Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), which previously affirmed abortion as a constitutionally protected right. As a result of the Dobbs decision, the authority to regulate abortion returned to the states, leading to significant policy variation across the United States. Furthermore, abortion policies have significant implications for social and economic participation, particularly for young women and minorities. Given the wide-reaching impact of abortion policies, this study examines how Dobbs influenced political mobilization and engagement by comparing public opinion in 2022 and 2024 across demographics. The findings suggest abortion has become an important issue for many voters following the decision, with a majority expressing support for legal access to abortion in both years. These attitudes were consistent across gender, age, and racial groups, though variation existed in intensity of support and perceived importance. In 2024, this public sentiment contributed to the passage of seven state-level ballot measures that expanded protections for abortion in various states.

This study examines counselor perspectives on Camp HOPE, a week-long program for youth exposed to domestic violence. Through surveys of 14 counselors, we investigated perceptions of program effectiveness and how counselors' own Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) influence their work. Results show strong consensus on the program's effectiveness. Notably, counselors who believed they facilitated hope, healing, and resilience "extremely well" all had multiple ACEs, suggesting shared experiences enhance effectiveness. Counselors regardless of ACE background reported personal healing through their service, indicating reciprocal therapeutic benefits.
 
Through our research we hope to contribute to the literatures on  trauma-informed programming for youth, to improve the effectiveness of Camp HOPE and to inform decisions about future program development for the Ventura County Family Justice Center.