The ACEs Aware initiative is a first-in-the nation effort to screen patients for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to help improve and save lives.
ACEs Aware strives to create a better world for our children, families, and communities by working together across sectors to prevent and address the impact of ACEs and toxic stress.
Funded by DHCS with support from CA-OSG, the PRACTICE statewide learning collaborative will support the efforts of clinical teams to address toxic stress in local communities. Up to 30 teams will receive funding, each ranging from $500,000 to $1 million, with the goal of increasing the capacity of Medi-Cal primary care organizations/clinics, community-based organizations (CBOs), and Medi-Cal managed care plans to leverage existing and new sources of state funding.
The first video in the ACEs Aware Storytelling Series, featuring pediatrician Dr. Eric Ball, from CHOC Children’s.
The ACEs Aware initiative has released a new data report detailing the number of Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screenings conducted for children and adults in California between January 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. The report also tracks the number of clinical team members that completed the “Becoming ACEs Aware in California” online training between December 4, 2019, and September 30, 2021.
ACEs Aware is an initiative led by the Office of the California Surgeon General and the Department of Health Care Services to give Medi-Cal providers training, clinical protocols, and payment for screening children and adults for ACEs.
The mission of DHCS is to provide Californians with access to affordable, integrated, high-quality health care, including medical, dental, mental health, substance use treatment services, and long-term care. DHCS’ vision is to preserve and improve the overall health and well-being of all Californians. DHCS funds health care services for more than 13 million Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
The role of the California Surgeon General was created in 2019 by Governor Gavin Newsom to marshal the insights and energy of medical professionals, scientists, public health experts, public servants, and everyday Californians to drive solutions to our most pressing public health challenges. As California’s first Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris serves as a leading spokesperson on matters of public health, and has established early childhood, health equity, and ACEs and toxic stress as key priorities.
