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California Essentials for Childhood Initiative (CA)

The California Essentials for Childhood Initiative uses a public health and collective impact approach to align and enhance collaborative efforts to promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children, youth and families through systems, policy and social norms change.

Tagged With "California Expansion Project"

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Sacrifices Californians Make Together to Slow Spread of Coronavirus are Worth It [chcf.org]

By Sandra R. Hernandez, California Health Care Foundation, March 16, 2020 We have entered an important new chapter in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic: After a week filled with school closures and the cancellation of major public events of all kinds, Congress and President Donald Trump are hopefully close to a deal to address the spread of the dangerous coronavirus. This clear-headed collaboration by our political leaders is welcome for the immediate relief it will bring and because it...
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Save the Date: July 11, 4CA Policymaker Education Day in Sacramento

Benita Tsao ·
Save the Date: Tuesday, July 11 4CA Policymaker Education Day on Childhood Adversity, Sacramento The California Campaign to Counter Childhood Adversity (4CA) invites you to Sacramento for Policymaker Education Day. Our lawmakers need to hear from you about how adverse childhood experiences and childhood trauma affect your community and what they can do to help. Join with allies from across California to engage your elected officials on this important issue. Who: 4CA Policymaker Education Day...
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Secondary Traumatic Stress Affects Child Abuse Prevention Champions

Elena Costa ·
Each year, millions of children in California endure the trauma of abuse, violence, natural disasters, and other adverse events. These experiences can give rise to significant emotional and behavioral problems that can profoundly disrupt the children’s lives and bring them in contact with child-serving professionals. For therapists, child welfare workers, case managers, and other helping professionals involved in the care of traumatized children and their families, the essential act of...
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State Dropping Ball in Dealing With Childhood Trauma, New Report Says [California Healthline]

Julia Wei ·
The lowest of 31 grades issued in the  2016 California Children's Report Card released on Wednesday was for dealing with the effects of childhood trauma. In Children Now's biennial assessment of the status of California kids, researchers gave the state a "D-" for how it deals with childhood trauma. The report contends that children who experience traumatic problems such as abuse, neglect and witnessing violence at home can suffer serious long-term consequences, including health...
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Supporting Brain Development in Traumatized Children and Youth

Gail Kennedy ·
This Administration on Children and Families (ACF) bulletin summarizes the effects of early trauma on brain development and looks at steps child welfare professionals can take to screen for developmental delays and identify the trauma-affected children and youth in their care. It also looks at ways to access cross-sector, therapeutic, and evidence-based treatment to encourage healthy recovery for trauma-affected children and youth. HERE TO ACCESS MATERIALS. Document attached.
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Supporting Evidence Building in Child Welfare Project Evaluation Opportunity Announcement

Elena Costa ·
The Supporting Evidence Building in Child Welfare Project , a five-year project of the Urban Institute, to support the Administration for Children and Families, is increasing the number of evidence-supported interventions for the child welfare population by conducting rigorous evaluations and supporting the field in moving toward rigorous evaluation. The project focuses on evaluating interventions that already have some evidence of effectiveness and are currently operating or those that will...
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Tell State Leaders: Do More for California's Babies

Gail Yen ·
Check out this exciting opportunity to support babies and strengthen families! Please join hundreds of other organizations in signing on to this letter urging our state leaders to fund critical home visiting supports for babies and families living in poverty. Children’s earliest brain development is the foundation for their lifelong health and success. Yet too often families, especially those who are struggling to make ends meet, don’t have the support they need during the stressful time of...
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The Advancing California’s Trauma-Informed Systems (ACTS) Project

Elena Costa ·
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP) has partnered with the Chadwick Center for Children and Families at Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego to launch the Advancing California’s Trauma-Informed Systems (ACTS) project. Designed for child welfare systems, the ACTS Project includes opportunities for: Collaborative planning and thoughtful identification of individualized areas for trauma-informed care (TIC) advancement In-depth resource...
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The Combined 2017-2018 National Survey of Children’s Health Downloadable Data Sets and Codebooks Are Now Available through the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health [childhealthdata.org]

From Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health, January 2020 The Data Resource Center (DRC), under a cooperative agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), is excited to announce the release of the combined 2017-2018 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) data sets and codebooks through childhealthdata.org ! The combined 2017-2018 NSCH is the second multi-year data set since the redesign of the NSCH in...
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The Economics of Child Abuse: A Study of California

Jenny Pearlman ·
While the impact of maltreatment on a child and their family is devastating, child maltreatment also has serious effects far beyond those for the victim. Maltreatment results in ongoing costs to taxpayers, institutions, businesses, and society at large. Local communities bear the brunt of these costs in the form of medical, educational, and judicial costs, though more tragic signs are seen in homelessness, addiction, and teen pregnancy. To create a concrete understanding of the widespread...
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Toxic Stress, Behavioral Health, and the Next Major Era in Public Health
 by Mental Health America

To view the document, click on the following link:  http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/toxic-stress-behavioral-health-and-next-major-era-public-health      
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Two studies shed light on state legislators’ views on ACEs science and trauma policy

New and returning lawmakers take the oath of office on day one of Washington state's 2017 legislative session. — Jeanie Lindsay/Northwest News Network As advocates prepare to see how ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) science, trauma, and resilience play out in the 2020 state legislative sessions — many beginning in January — they are undoubtedly asking: “What does a legislator want?" It may be a stretch to play on Freud’s question: “What does a women want?", but the query captures how...
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Updates on the California Campaign to Counter Childhood Adversity (4CA)'s Endorsed Bills

Gail Yen ·
The 2018 legislative session officially wrapped up on September 30th with Governor Brown taking action on all pieces of legislation that made it to his desk. This year, the California Campaign to Counter Childhood Adversity (4CA) endorsed three bills that were aligned with 4CA's objectives. We're happy to share that SB 439 (Mitchell & Lara) is officially law! This means that children 11 years old and younger are excluded from prosecution in juvenile court, except when the child is...
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VPI Homicide Prevention Webinar Part II on Oct. 17 from 1:00pm-2:00pm

Elena Costa ·
Community of Practice Webinar Series October's Topic: Homicide Prevention – Part II Primary Prevention Efforts to Decrease Homicide Rates in CA Thursday, October 17, 2019 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (PST) Please join us for the next VPI Community of Practice webinar on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (PST) to learn more about the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, and the first public...
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Webinar Recap: Health Equity and COVID-19: Opportunities to Improve Child Wellbeing through Policy with Dr. Flojaune Cofer

Elena Costa ·
On May 13, 2020, the California Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative held a webinar entitled, “Health Equity and COVID-19: Opportunities to Improve Child Wellbeing through Policy” and heard from special guest speaker, Dr. Flojaune Cofer, Senior Director of Policy with the All Children Thrive (ACT) California project . This interactive webinar examined what success could look like to address COVID-19 by describing equity concerns arising for children and families that have been...
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Webinar Recap: Trauma-Informed Care/Practices in Light of COVID-19: Applying Lessons Learned from Child-Serving Systems with Dr. Melissa Bernstein

Elena Costa ·
On April 29, 2020, the California Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative held a webinar entitled, “Trauma-Informed Care/Practices in Light of COVID-19: Applying Lessons Learned from Child-Serving Systems” and heard from special guest speaker, Dr. Melissa Bernstein, an Implementation Specialist with the Advancing California’s Trauma-Informed Systems (ACTS) Initiative . Dr. Bernstein shared considerations for practical application of key trauma-informed elements put into practice through...
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Welcome!

Jaynia Anderson ·
Welcome to the California Essentials for Childhood Initiative ACEs Connection Group. This group is intended to be a means of communication for all Essentials Initiative members and partners. We encourage our partners to share information on the...
Calendar Event

Leadership Action Team Meeting

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December 2016 California Essentials for Childhood Newsletter

Marissa Abbott ·
California Essentials for Childhood released its sixth newsletter in December 2016. The full newsletter can be found attached. Check it out!
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Developing Healthy Minds: It’s Never Too Early to Start! [Blog.SAMHSA.gov]

Samantha Sangenito ·
The human mind is one of the most complex structures in the universe. Even in early infancy, it is capable of taking in a wide variety of inputs. Still, in our early years, we’ve only unlocked a small portion of its potential. Our brains actually continue to develop into our twenties . Accordingly, the U.S. Government embraces a definition of youth that continues until we turn 25. Nurturing the development of young minds to stay healthy through adulthood is a primary goal of SAMHSA’s Project...
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Directory of Regional Coalitions or Advisory Bodies

Elena Costa ·
The California Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative is collecting information to assist in connecting organizations and community members to local and/or regional coalitions or advisory bodies working on efforts that improve the lives of children and families in California. The purpose of this effort is to assist with creating a directory that will be publicly available to increase engagement in policy, systems, and environmental change efforts that prevent and reduce child...
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Disconnected Youth: Negative Personal, Social, and Economic Impact

Olivia Kirkland ·
Disconnected youth—teens who are neither enrolled in school nor working—may be more likely than their peers to experience poor health, lower incomes, and unemployment as adults. They are also more likely to become involved in illegal activity and become dependent on public aid. In 2013, disconnected youth cost U.S. taxpayers an estimated $27 billion in costs related to incarceration, public assistance, lost tax revenues, and lost earnings. In 2011-2015, eight percent of California teens ages...
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Dr. Ken Epstein Speaks About Trauma-Informed Work

Gail Kennedy ·
In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the California Departments of Public Health, Health Care Services and Social Services, and multiple community partners welcomed Dr. Kenneth Epstein to speak about his work highlighting trauma and resilience-informed practices. The event was also co-sponsored by ACEs Connection Network, Kaiser Permanente, and UC Davis Medical Center. Dr. Epstein leads the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s (SFDPH) Trauma-Informed Systems Initiative,...
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Economist outlines reforms to improve access to affordable, high quality child care [medicalxpress.com]

Alicia Doktor ·
For families in the U.S., the costs of high-quality child care are exorbitant, especially for those with children under age five. A new policy proposal, "Public Investments in Child Care," by Dartmouth Associate Professor of Economics Elizabeth Cascio, finds that current federal child care tax policies are not benefiting the families most burdened by child care costs. Therefore, Cascio outlines a new policy that could replace the current federal child care tax policies. The research examines...
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Essentials for Childhood Case Study: Collective Impact through Strategic Opportunities

Elena Costa ·
The California Department of Public Health, Safe and Active Communities (CDPH/SACB), Steve Wirtz and Marissa Abbott co-authored a case study showcasing the methodology, successes, and opportunities for improvement from the 2013-2018 Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative. Read more about the lessons learned and how the EfC Initiative will move forward from 2019 and beyond by clicking the attachment below.
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Essentials for Childhood Initiative 5/13 Webinar: Health Equity and COVID-19: Opportunities to Improve Child Wellbeing through Policy

Elena Costa ·
The Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative invites your participation in a webinar entitled, “Health Equity and COVID-19: Opportunities to Improve Child Wellbeing through Policy” taking place on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM for a special guest presentation with Dr. Flojaune Cofer, Senior Director of Policy with the All Children Thrive (ACT) California project. This interactive webinar will examine what success could look like in addressing COVID-19 by describing equity...
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Essentials for Childhood Initiative Membership Re-Convenes!

Elena Costa ·
The California Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative , a collaborative project between the California Department of Public Health, Safe and Active Communities Branch (CDPH/SACB) and the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention (CDSS/OCAP) has received funding to continue efforts through August of 2023 to decrease child maltreatment risk factors and increase protective factors to provide safe, stable, nurturing relationships, and environments (SSNR&E)...
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Essentials for Childhood Initiative: October 30th, 2019 Convening Summary Document

Elena Costa ·
The California Department of Public Health, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB), (formerly the Safe and Active Communities Branch) and the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention (CDSS/OCAP), co-hosted an Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative convening on Wednesday, October 30, 2019. This event, entitled “Defining Goals and Strategies to Achieve Child Wellbeing,” took place at the California Endowment in Sacramento from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM...
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Fact Sheet on Resilience and Child Traumatic Stress from National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Julia Wei ·
This four-page fact sheet provides questions and answers about child traumatic stress and resilience, which is the ability of a child to recover and show early and effective adaptation following a potentially traumatic event. Topics include what resilience looks like in children, what factors might enhance resilience in children after traumatic events, and some initial steps to enhance recovery during treatment or services.
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Federal funding opportunity primary prevention of abuse and neglect

Tory Henderson ·
The purpose of this FOA from the federal Administration on Children, Youth and Families - Children's Bureau is to fund cooperative agreements that support the development, implementation, and evaluation of primary prevention strategies to improve the safety, stability, and well-being of all families through a continuum of community-based services and supports. During the project period, grantees will address site-specific barriers and mobilize communities to prevent child maltreatment,...
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Futures Without Violence - Safe, Healthy, and Ready to Learn

Julia Wei ·
Interesting report from Futures Without Violence: Safe, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: Policy Recommendations to Ensure Children Thrive in Supportive Communities Free from Violence and Trauma
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Health care for 7 in 10 CA children funded by Medicaid or CHIP

Olivia Kirkland ·
Proposed cuts and changes to public health insurance programs would have a disproportionate effect on California kids compared with kids in the nation as a whole.
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Infants and Toddlers Need Strong Parents [clasp.org]

Alicia Doktor ·
Parents play the most active and significant role in their baby’s healthy development. Young children learn and grow in strong families where parents are able to successfully face the challenge of nurturing their children. During the first three years of life, experiences are shaping a child’s brain and providing the foundation for later development. Parenting support services, which range from informational resources to more intensive interventions, can help improve parenting skills,...
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July California Essentials for Childhood Newsletter

Marissa Abbott ·
California Essentials for Childhood has just released its fifth newsletter. The full newsletter can be found attached. Check it out!
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Know Your Rights: Paid Leave for Workers Impacted by COVID-19

From California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, March 23, 2020 As Californians are urged to stay home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, workers across the state and their families are feeling the impact on their jobs and income, making the need for paid leave more apparent than ever. Join the California Work & Family Coalition, Legal Aid at Work, and the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence for short web-conferences addressing the access to paid leave and learning...
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May California Essentials for Childhood Newsletter

Julia Wei ·
California Essentials for Childhood has just released its fourth newsletter. The full newsletter can be found attached. Check it out!
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Meet the Essentials for Childhood Initiative Team (Part 1/2)

Elena Costa ·
Meet some of the Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative team members: Elena Costa – Elena Costa is the new Program Coordinator for the Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative with the Safe and Active Communities Branch (SACB) at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Elena joined the EfC Initiative in April of 2019 and is excited to work with the membership of the Initiative to promote Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships, and Environments (SSNR&E) and assist with...
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Meet the Essentials for Childhood Initiative Team (Part 2/2)

Elena Costa ·
Meet some of the Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative team members: Angela Ponivas is the Chief of the California Department of Social Services Office of Child Abuse Prevention (CDSS/OCAP). She has been in the OCAP almost five years, working at a systems level on behalf of children and families. Angela provides executive oversight of the development and execution of Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative activities at CDSS. Prior to working for the State, Angela was the Executive...
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NEW: 2018-19 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being

Gail Yen ·
Children Now is pleased to announce that we've just released our new 2018-19 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being! The latest edition is an interactive tool that provides a comprehensive snapshot of how children are faring in each of the 58 counties, over time, and by race and ethnicity. The tool's indicators cut across four domains of education, early childhood, child welfare and health. This updated edition of the Scorecard features significant enhancements including heat...
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New Childhood Adversity and Data and Dashboards [kidsdata.org]

Lori Turk ·
May 19, 2020 New and updated data describing childhood adversity and resilience are now available on kidsdata.org . The data cover more counties than previously offered and provide greater detail on childhood adversity. Also, in partnership with the Essentials for Childhood Initiative, you can now access data dashboards for every county in California. Adversity and Resilience Data See the latest parent reported data on childhood adversity and resilience in California. Based on the National...
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New Data on Infant Mortality Rates Across California Counties

Lori Turk ·
Infant Mortality Rate 1996-1998 to 2013-2015 Kidsdata is excited to feature new data on infant mortality in California for 2013-2015. Infant mortality is a key measure of public health, as it reflects maternal health, quality of and access to medical care, socioeconomic conditions, and public health practices. Reviewing infant mortality rates indicates troubling disparities. Among counties with data across time, San Mateo County has been consistently lower than the statewide rate since...
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NEW Essentials for Childhood Kidsdata.org ACEs Topic

Gail Kennedy ·
On behalf of California Essentials for Childhood, I am very excited to announce the release of a new Child Adversity and Resilience data topic on Kidsdata.org! This has been a collaborative effort between the CA Essentials for Childhood Initiative's Shared Data and Outcomes Work Group and the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. I represent ACEs Connection Network on Essentials and am the co-chair of the Shared Data & Outcomes Work Group so I couldn't be more thrilled about...
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New PI briefs and videos connect community safety and early childhood development [PreventionInstitute.org]

Clare Reidy ·
Early childhood is a critical time that shapes opportunities and outcomes for a lifetime, yet little attention has been given to the deleterious impact community violence can have on young children. New PI resources explore the linkages between safety and child development, making the case for preventing violence and community trauma. When community environments are safe, they can provide thriving conditions for communities, families, and young children. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation...
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New Report Explores Paid Family Leave: How Much Time is Enough?

Brigid Schulte ·
A growing body of research is finding that, on the whole, job-protected paid family leaves of adequate duration and wage replacement lead to more income and gender equality, significant reductions in infant, maternal and even paternal mortality, improved physical and mental health for children and parents, greater family stability and economic security, business productivity, and economic growth.
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Next "A Better Normal" community discussion series: April 2, 2020/ Secondary Traumatic Stress and Caregivers

Jane Stevens ·
Our next COVID-19 "Better Normal" community discussion is Thursday, April 2, with Vic Compher and Rodney Whittenberg, producers of CAREGIVERS (Portraits of Professional CAREgivers: Their Passion, Their Pain). These wonderful folks are bringing an entire team of people from the secondary traumatic stress committees from the Philadelphia ACE Task Force (PATF).
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Not 'Just in Your Head': California Rolls Out Mental Health Guides for Coping With Coronavirus [kqed.org]

Mai Le ·
By Marisa Lagos Apr 7 Gov. Gavin Newsom opened his daily briefing Tuesday on the status of the coronavirus pandemic in California a bit differently than normal: With a mantra he says his mother used to repeat. "She said, 'Stand guard at the door of your mind,'" Newsom said. "Honestly, it took me a decade-plus to figure out what she was ultimately saying. But she was focused on, more than anything else, our capacity to be resilient and to meet challenges head-on, our capacity as human beings...
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OCAP Buzz: Child Abuse Prevention Month Materials

Marissa Abbott ·
The California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP) just released their newsletter with information about the upcoming Child Abuse Prevention month in April 2017. Please check out the attached PDF for more information on materials to help #unite4kids to prevent child abuse and neglect for all California children and families.
 
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