What are ACEs? ACEs are adverse childhood experiences that harm children's developing brains so profoundly that the effects show up decades later; they cause much of chronic disease, most mental illness, and are at the root of most violence. ...

The Strategies 2.0 SoCal Learning Community is a free peer learning experience for existing and emerging leaders in the child abuse prevention and family strengthening field . The Feb. 27th convening focuses on elevating the parent voice in order to strengthen and improve services for families. It will include a presentation about Dads Matter, a Los Angeles based program, and a parent partner panel. Re-visioning Prevention: Exploring Systems Innovation and Best Practices in the Prevention of...

On June 6, 2018, over 60 people gathered in mid-Santa Barbara County for a special convening of the KIDS Network. The meeting was advertised among stakeholders as the unveiling of the 2017 Children's Scorecard and the launch of the Santa Barbara County ACEs Connection. After receiving an overview of the Children's Scorecard, participants were invited to discuss the three objectives previously identified by stakeholders who met with Dr. Nadine Burke Harris in April. These were support for...

Thank you to all those who joined us on Thursday February 27, 2020 for the third of our 4-part SoCal Learning Community series: Re-visioning Prevention: Exploring Systems Innovation and Best Practices in the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Visit this link to access the recording, resources and materials, https://conta.cc/2TFqmdR Shawndi Johnson, Dads Matter Program Manager, shared with us the critical importance of engaging fathers in the process of sharing services, family healing,...

Please join us for the ongoing community discussion of A Better Normal, our ongoing series in which we envision the future as trauma-informed. LGBTQ+ Identity and Race in the US: An Intersectional Discussion On Historical and Generational Trauma With Panelists Rev. Dr. D. Mark Wilson and Alexander Cho, Ph.D., Moderated by ACEs Connection staff members Jenna Quinn and Alison Cebulla Friday, June 19th, 2020 Noon to 1pm, PT (3pm to 4pm ET) >>Click here to register<< Please join us...

ACEs initiative participants in communities where there is tension between the community and law enforcement will want to join Becky Haas in a compelling conversation on law enforcement, ACEs science, COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement and protests. Haas is a nationally recognized adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) science initiative builder and trainer. She and colleagues Renee Wilson-Simmons, the head of the ACE Awareness Foundation of Memphis, Tennessee, and Maggi Duncan,...

Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: One-Pager

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and California Department of Education (CDE) have jointly released a guidance document for educators conducting distance learning on recognizing the signs and symptoms of abuse. To read more, please see the attached document.

The election is upon us. In two short weeks, we voters in this country decide who will lead us for the next four years. We have the opportunity to embrace — as a national priority — the tenets of understanding, nurturing and healing that underlie the science of adverse childhood experiences and move in a direction that embraces cultural and racial equity and anti-racism. Or not. What is clear is that no matter what, the ACEs movement will continue.

We have some very exciting news! As of today, ACEs Connection is now PACEs Connection. PACEs stands for Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences.

English: The California Department of Public Health, Injury and Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB) and the California Department of Social Service, Office of Child Abuse Prevention’s (CDSS/OCAP) , Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative , ACEs Connection , and the Yolo County Children’s Alliance co-created “Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” in both English and Spanish. This material is intended for Californian families experiencing the severe economic consequences resulting from...

The North County Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center was created out of frustration and desperation at the height of the women’s movement in the 1970’s. In the mid 70s the founder Joyce Howerton was fed up with the lack of support and services for women in the area and decided to create her own hotline in her home garage. All she had was a desk and a landline phone to help connect with the women of the community and provide safe space for those that had been abused. This attitude of...

Becky Antle, Ph.D., Professor of Social Work and esteemed University Scholar at the University of Louisville, won The Dibble Institute’s national competition to evaluate Mind Matters: Overcoming Adversity and Building Resilience in 2019. As a result, Dr. Antle and her colleagues have conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine the impact of Mind Matters on a host of outcomes related to trauma symptoms, emotional regulation, coping and resiliency, and interpersonal skills for at-risk...

CAPC Intro It’s week three of Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when we pause to appreciate all of the people who come together to support and encourage children, youth and families. Everyone has a role to play in making sure that our community is a great place for children and youth to thrive. Parenting can be hard, and parents must be flexible and strong to meet the needs of their families when challenges arise. Stress can make it harder to be a patient and supportive parent. This...

The Santa Barbara Community Academy was the first elementary school where we started Kind Mind. It has been a privilege to get to know these and the Roosevelt children and seeing them blossom in kindness and mindfulness!

CAPC Intro April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, an opportunity to appreciate the ways we work together to strengthen families and communities. There are simple steps we can take every day to help reduce the risk factors for child abuse and neglect. With the help of a supportive community, parents and children can be resilient even in the face of adversity. There are seven wellness practices shown to reduce stress and strengthen resilience. This week we are focused on Mindfulness,...

Beautiful work Vivian and the Kind Mind team! Thank you for bringing these life giving skills to children in our community who need them. You are contributing in such meaningful ways to building the resilient and thriving community that all of us at Resilient Santa Barbara County envision! THANK YOU!

So grateful for Kind Mind and the connections they are making with kids and families in Santa Barbara!

Christina Bethell, Ph.D, MBA, MPH, founder of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI), principal author of the groundbreaking study on positive childhood experiences, and creator of the free Well Visit Planner, among other innovations. Two internationally-respected leaders and innovators in complementary aspects of early relational health and childhood and maternal health equity recently launched a partnership they believe will benefit everyone from newborn babies and...

Nationally recognized days of awareness remind us of important civil and human rights movements led by Black and African-American communities and social justice advocates. February puts leadership, education, access, justice, policy, and governance under the spotlight. Through a PACEs science lens, this month is an opportunity to consider trauma-informed transformation through a PACEs science lens as the way forward.

March marks the final month of the granting period for the CRC Accelerator. Here are the next steps for certification or a certificate of participation.

We are grateful to be able to share this beautiful story of resilience, partnership, and the transformative strength of love. Please read on to learn about Angels Foster Care parents, Christine and Jacob, and the inspiring example they are setting for family preservation. Photo, from left to right: Angels Foster Care Parents, Christine and Jacob Tyler with their children; Angels child Sophia* with her father, Matthew* Credit: Kelsey Crews Photo Sophia’s* journey in life began with a...