ACEs Aware in Action

Join the Movement to Screen, Treat, and Heal

California patients, health care providers, and communities have weathered many storms over the past year. Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and responding to the symptoms of toxic stress will improve patient health now and in the future, unlocking the potential of an entire generation. Join the movement today to become ACEs Aware.

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ACEs Aware Announces Grant Awards to Support Trauma-Informed Networks of Care

Further expanding the reach and impact of the ACEs Aware initiative, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), in partnership with the Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG), today awarded $30.8 million in ACEs Aware grant funds to 35 organizations across California.

The grants will help build and strengthen robust networks of care to effectively respond to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress with community-based health and social supports that meet the needs of children, adults, and families.

“The science is clear: Without intervention, Adverse Childhood Experiences and the resulting toxic stress response can lead to lasting negative mental and physical health outcomes,” said California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris. “These grants will strengthen the capacity of our networks of care to support health care providers to effectively screen, treat, and heal patients with ACEs.”

The newly awarded grants focus on planning and implementation. The state awarded $7.9 million in planning grants across 27 counties to assist them in preparing to execute a robust screening, referral, and response process designed to interrupt the toxic stress response. The state also awarded $22.9 million in implementation grants across eight counties to pilot the effectiveness of health care, social service providers, and community-based organizations working together to create a seamless screening, referral, and response process to support families in mitigating toxic stress and preventing further ACEs. The implementation grant funds will be available for up to 18 months.

California Budget Update

On January 8, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom released California’s proposed fiscal year 2021-22 budget. The Governor’s budget includes a proposal to extend Proposition 56 funding for the ACEs Aware initiative through June 30, 2022.

The ACEs Aware initiative is a vital part of the Medi-Cal program’s response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, helping providers identify, prevent, and treat the secondary health effects associated with increased levels of stress caused by the pandemic. ACEs Aware is steadily increasing awareness of the role of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and of the importance of responding with trauma-informed care. This includes offering a free, two-hour ACEs Aware online training and promoting Medi-Cal payment that is available to providers who conduct ACE screenings.

The ongoing budget authority and funding for the ACEs Aware initiative is subject to legislative approval.

December TIPC Meeting Recap

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The Trauma-Informed Primary Care (TIPC) Implementation Advisory Committee met virtually on December 15, 2020. Dr. Nadine Burke Harris shared highlights from the California Surgeon General’s Report, Roadmap for Resilience, and the ACEs Aware Request for Proposal for Trauma-Informed Networks of Care. Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Medical Director Dr. Karen Mark provided an overview of the number of Medi-Cal primary care providers who have completed the “Becoming ACEs Aware in California” core training and the initiative's plans for engaging providers in 2021. DHCS Director Will Lightbourne emphasized the importance of addressing childhood trauma and applauded the TIPC’s efforts in contributing to the progress in training Medi-Cal providers. The committee's discussion covered several critical topics, including:

The role of ACEs Aware in helping families and providers manage the impacts of COVID-19 on physical and mental health.
Strategies to educate and support providers in adopting ACE screenings.
How managed care plans support providers conducting ACE screenings.
Systemic changes necessary to support a robust network of care, help patients recover from trauma, and address health disparities.

For more information about TIPC, visit ACEsAware.org .

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ACEs Aware Grantee Spotlights

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Since receiving their grant awards in June 2020, ACEs Aware grantees have been hard at work executing a range of activities to inform and educate Medi-Cal providers about the importance of screening for ACEs and responding with trauma-informed care.

San Diego Health Care Quality Collaborative, Lincoln Families, and Latinx Physicians of California are in the Grantee Spotlight for January, and each organization is leading an exciting body of work though provider engagement and communications.

Read more about each organization on the ACEs Aware blog.

Have You Completed the ACEs Aware Training?

Eligible Medi-Cal providers can receive a $29 payment for conducting each qualifying ACE screening for their patients up to age 65.

ACEs Aware offers a free, online training for providers interested in learning more about screening for ACEs and responding with trauma-informed care. Two Continuing Medical Education and Maintenance of Certification credits are available for completing the training. The training includes cases for pediatric, internal medicine, family medicine, and women’s health providers.

After providers take the training and complete the simple attestation form, they can file claims and receive Medi-Cal payments.

Please note that Medi-Cal payment is not available to providers who do not complete the attestation form; providers must confirm that they have completed the ACEs Aware training to receive payment.

For more information, visit the ACEs Aware Certification & Payment webpage.

ABC7 talks to California surgeon general Nadine Burke-Harris about COVID-19's impact on children

December 11, 2020 | ABC7

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris discussed the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on families and the new Roadmap for Resilience report. She also discussed the efforts of the ACEs Aware initiative in California, “But what we need is to make sure that we are doing not only prevention, but early detection and early intervention."

Local online network helps raise awareness about ACEs and trauma-informed practices

December 15, 2020 | Orange County Department of Education

In a recent blog post, the Orange County Department of Education promoted a social network in Orange County dedicated to bringing community members, health care professionals, and leaders together to collaborate across sectors to prevent ACEs, heal from trauma, and build resilience in Orange County. This website is affiliated with ACEs Connection.