ACEs Aware in Action

October 2021

New ACEs Equity Act Significantly Expands Access to ACE Screening in California

The ACEs Aware initiative applauds the recent enactment of Senate Bill (SB) 428, the ACEs Equity Act, which will significantly expand coverage for screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

SB 428, introduced by State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), requires all health insurance plan contracts, including Knox-Keene-licensed managed care plan contracts and health insurance policies issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022, that provide coverage for pediatric services and preventative care, to include coverage for ACE screening.

Key Themes from the TIPC Advisory Committee

The ACEs Aware Trauma-Informed Primary Care (TIPC) Implementation Advisory Committee held its quarterly meeting virtually on October 6, 2021. The meeting covered:

Initiative updates, including training and screening progress, and newly available resources on how to implement ACE screening in primary care.
Key themes from previous TIPC meetings and a summary of how ACEs Aware has been informed by input and advice from TIPC members.
Evaluation update from the California ACEs Learning and Quality Improvement Collaborative (CALQIC).
Discussion of the UCLA/UCSF ACEs Aware Family Resilience Network (UCAAN) and initiative priorities for 2022.

For more information, review the meeting materials.

Joint Guidance on Mandated Reporting and ACEs

In August, the California Department of Social Services, the California Department of Health Care Services, and the Office of the California Surgeon General released a set of questions and answers designed to clarify requirements around mandated reporting of child abuse or neglect in the context of ACE screening. The document outlines the state’s mandated reporter law and definitions, and answers specific questions about how the requirements should be applied following an ACE screening.

Please share this important information with your colleagues and networks.

In Case You Missed It: Implementing ACE Screenings - How-To Guide and Lessons from the Field

A recording and materials are now available for ACEs Aware's most recent webinar, "Implementing ACE Screenings: How-To Guide and Lessons from the Field," which highlights learnings from clinics across California.

The webinar covers:

Ways the How-To Guide can help your clinic move forward in its ACE screening journey.
How several practices have implemented ACE screening for pediatrics and women’s health.
Actionable ideas for clinical teams to implement ACE screening.

Panelists:

Heyman Oo, MD, MPH, Marin Community Clinics
Joni Chroman and Rachel Steward, MD, MSc, FACOG, FPA Women’s Health
Mikah Owen, MD, MPH, FAAP, UC Davis Health

Moderators:

Dayna Long, MD, FAAP – Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, UCSF; Co-Principal Investigator, PEARLS (Pediatric ACEs and Related Life-Events) Screener
Tanya Schwartz, MSW, MPP – Principal & Senior Director, Aurrera Health Group

Free Course on Using Relational Health in Pediatric Practice

Are you looking for support to promote safe, stable, and nurturing relationships at the practice level?

The Center for Innovation and Resources, Inc., an ACEs Aware grantee, is offering VITAL: Relational Health, a free, self-paced online course of approximately 20-minute modules (Continuing Medical Education (CME) available). It will introduce you to the science of relational health and how to incorporate it into your practice. VITAL is an effort to coalesce the research, teachings, and practices of experts who have worked to advance the field of relational health for decades.

Two modules are now available, “Introduction to Relational Health,” and “The Science of Relational Health.” Additional modules are coming soon.

Free Virtual Training from Tri-City Mental Health

ACEs Aware grantee Tri-City Mental Health is offering their ACEs Aware Community Supplemental Training for any community or organization interested in learning more about how we each play a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of children, adults, families, and communities. Click here to learn more.

Additionally, Tri-City Mental Health is offering ACEs Aware training for service providers, educators, parents, caregivers, and community members. These trainings are scheduled on the following Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. PT. Register for free by clicking on the links below:

For more information about these trainings, click here or contact Tri-City Mental Health at aces@tricitymhs.org.

ACEs Aware-Related Practice Papers Now Available

ACEs Aware grantees across the state are producing practice papers featuring promising strategies and case studies from clinical teams and communities implementing ACE screening and trauma-informed systems of care. Visit ACEsAware.org to read the practice papers, including:

Eisner Health’s Journey Through Implementing Trauma-Informed Care by Origins Training & Consulting
Community Information Exchange: Leveraging Collaborative Infrastructure to Assess and Address ACEs by San Diego Healthcare Quality Collaborative
How Accountable Communities for Health Can Lead Multi-Sector Partnerships to Address the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences by San Diego Healthcare Quality Collaborative
CQC Toolkit: Implement Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Screening in Primary Care by Purchaser Business Group on Health

Congratulations to our ACEs Aware Network of Care Planning Grantees

The ACEs Aware Network of Care planning grantees are wrapping up their grant activities and we are proud to acknowledge their great work. These organizations will continue to be leaders in strengthening the role of communities in responding to ACEs and toxic stress. We thank you for your commitment to tailoring strategies for addressing the needs of your communities and for your contributions to reduce ACEs by half in one generation.

Thank you to the following Grantees:

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris Talks About Childhood Trauma

September 27 | Oprah Winfrey Network
California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris shared how childhood trauma creates long-term changes to a person's physical and mental health.

Workplace Mental Health & Wellness Summit

October 4 | SHRM Foundation
Dr. Burke Harris was featured as a speaker at this first-of-its-kind summit for CEOs and CHROs around mental health and wellness in the workplace.

Case Study: California's ACEs Aware Initiative

October 18 | National Governors Association
California’s ACEs Aware initiative takes an innovative, evidence-based approach to addressing ACEs and toxic stress by educating and training health care providers who are directly interacting with communities.