Catalog

The Open Doors Training project is a comprehensive training designed to empower non-clinical, youth-serving adults across California by equipping them with additional skills and knowledge to engage with young people on topics related to substance use and other behavioral health issues. This training is ideal for adults in who interact with youth, including educators, community leaders and volunteers, child welfare workers, and other non-clinical professionals.

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is a free, evidence-based training for adults on how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. This training gives adults the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to children and adolescents (ages 6-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care. 

Join us for a webinar spotlighting three new digital applications designed to support the behavioral health of youth and young adults in California. Funded through the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), each app—Mirror, Soluna, and BrightLife Kids—was designed with input from the audiences they aim to serve. Clinical, school-based, and community care team members will gain valuable insight into services offered by each app and, more specifically, how Soluna and BrightLife Kids can be integrated into care pathways, ...

The Becoming ACEs Aware in California training is a free, two-hour, online course that covers Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), toxic stress, ACE screening, toxic stress risk assessment, and trauma-informed care and provides health care teams and community providers with evidence-based strategies to prevent and mitigate toxic stress physiology. Updated in 2026, the training includes tailored learning pathways for Medical Providers, Mental and Behavioral Health Providers, and members of the broader Care Team. The training offers between 2.0 and 9.0 free Continuing ...

La capacitación “Convertirse Consientes de ACEs en California” es un curso gratuito en línea de dos horas de duración que abarca las experiencias adversas en la infancia (ACEs), el estrés tóxico, la evaluación de ACEs, la evaluación del riesgo de estrés tóxico y la atención informada sobre el trauma, y proporciona a los equipos de atención médica y a los proveedores comunitarios estrategias basadas en la evidencia para prevenir y mitigar la fisiología del estrés tóxico. Esta capacitación se actualizó en ...

This document provides a general overview of integrated dyadic care implementation stages and suggested activities to support dyadic service implementation at each phase. It is based on findings from implementation research and informed by the work of the UCSF Center for Advancing Dyadic Care in Pediatrics. It provides general guidance, primarily for clinic staff implementing dyadic services, but may also be useful for others that support integrated dyadic care, including managed care plans, policy administrators, and funders.

The California Child and Adolescent Mental Health Access Portal (Cal-MAP) is a no-cost consultation program that supports primary care and school-based providers in delivering timely, high-quality mental health care to youth ages 0–25. Cal-MAP is part of the CalHOPE pediatric access initiative and is designed to expand access to behavioral health services, particularly in California’s rural and underserved communities. Through Cal-MAP, providers who screen for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress can be connected with child and adolescent psychiatrists, ...

In this webinar, campaign representatives and youth advisors provide an overview of the Office of the California Surgeon General's Live Beyond campaign. They share the campaigns's goals ad youth co-creation process, along with key resources for educators and other adults supporting youth impacted by ACEs and toxic stress. In additional, they share research insights and strategies to engage with youth and caregivers on these topics, along with other innovative tactics to support storytelling and healing from ACEs and toxic stress.

The Stress Busters Toolkit for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) provides CBOs with a foundational understanding of how to use evidence-based strategies to help clients prevent and heal from toxic stress. Whether you are serving children, youth, or adults, this resource explains how simple, actionable practices—known as “Stress Busters”—can be used in conjunction with services addressing external stressors like food insecurity, housing instability, and job loss. Access the toolkit.

The California Department of Public Health, Office of School Health, the California Department of Education, and subject matter experts have developed this no-cost, online 50-minute training to provide information on how school staff, as trusted adults, can support the social, emotional, and physical well-being of students by creating learning environments where students feel safe, accepted, and valued. This training is aligned with the requirements of California Education Code Section 49428.2(c) and welcomes participants into a community of staff that can ...

The California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative represents a bold reimagining of how health care is delivered to Medi-Cal members. Launched in 2022 by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), CalAIM aims to improve health outcomes for Medi-Cal members by shifting from a traditional medical model to a more comprehensive approach that more adequately meets the needs of individuals, families, and communities. At its core, CalAIM recognizes that health is deeply influenced by the social and environmental ...

This Medi-Cal Managed Care Explainer is for organizations seeking to understand basic Medi-Cal managed care terms before diving deeper on provider requirements for specific Medi-Cal services, including Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Health Worker (CHW) services.

This ECM Billing Guide walks providers through the steps to appropriately bill a Managed Care Plan (MCP) for ECM, questions to ask the contracted MCP, and considerations for other necessary decisions.

This CHW checklist is intended as a resource for organizations that are considering becoming a provider of services under Medi-Cal’s CHW benefit for children and youth populations.

This resource offers guidance on documenting dyadic care visits while protecting sensitive caregiver information in compliance with the CURES Act and “Open Notes” requirements. It includes documentation strategies, adaptable templates, and real-world clinic examples. There is an accompanying video recommended to view in conjunction with this document that provides more background information on the CURES Act as well as an overview of the document itself to support users in navigating and applying the guidance effectively.

This video offers guidance on documenting dyadic care visits — where both the pediatric patient and caregiver are involved — while protecting sensitive caregiver information in compliance with the CURES Act and “Open Notes” requirements. It includes some background information on the CURES Act, documentation strategies, adaptable templates, and real-world clinic examples. There is an accompanying document along with a video explanation to support users in navigating and applying the guidance effectively.

This document offers practical guidance for implementing dyadic, team-based well-child visits in pediatric primary care, where a behavioral health clinician (BHC) and primary care provider (PCP) collaborate to support both the child and caregiver. It includes options for when a BHC can join a visit, along with examples that demonstrate variations in real-world practice. There is an accompanying video explanation that is recommended to view in conjunction with this document to help users navigate the document and apply the guidance effectively.

This video takes viewers through the accompanying document, offering practical guidance for implementing dyadic, team-based well child visits in pediatric primary care, where a behavioral health clinician (BHC) and primary care provider (PCP) collaborate to support both the child and caregiver. It includes an interview with a pediatric primary care provider sharing her experience offering dyadic team-based services.

Community Health Workers (CHW) can be trusted partners to individuals and communities given their lived experiences, connections, and knowledge. In this webinar, we will discuss CalAIM’s CHW benefit, including participant eligibility, an overview of CHW services, and how the CHW benefit can support individuals and families experiencing the impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and/or toxic stress. Designed as a preventive service, the CHW benefit is available to support individuals with several risk factors and/or diagnoses, including behavioral health, chronic ...

This FAQ document is a collection of questions and answers organized by key topics to support the understanding and implementation of dyadic care. This document answers common questions about dyadic care, the connection between dyadic care and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), practical applications of dyadic care, billing guidance for the dyadic benefit, considerations for data and electronic medical records (EMR), and more.

This document outlines billing codes identified in the Non-Specialty Mental Health Services Manual as available for dyadic and family services in primary care. It includes each Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code, any known time requirements, required International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes, and additional billing details. It also provides practical examples to illustrate how dyadic care visits may look in real-world settings, helping teams apply the codes accurately and confidently.

This resource provides background information on the dyadic benefit and key takeaways for clinic systems and managed care plans. It highlights the evidence-based benefits of focusing on dyadic care, outlines key action items for managed care plans to support uptake, and provides relevant tools to guide implementation.

Enhanced Care Management (ECM) is a holistic and intensive care management program established under California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM). ECM is available to children and youth with complex health needs, including those identified through an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) screen as at high risk for toxic stress. ECM can provide Medi-Cal members with extra help in navigating the physical and behavioral health system and accessing social needs. All ECM services are available through a network of community-based providers contracted ...

The "Connecting ACE Screening with CalAIM" series explores the critical intersection of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening and response efforts and the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative. Designed for health care providers, behavioral health clinicians, and community-based organizations, this series highlights how CalAIM’s components, including Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports, can serve as vital resources for individuals impacted by ACEs and toxic stress. Participants will gain insights into evidence-based strategies for integrating ACE screening with whole-person care ...

Join us for an in-depth webinar exploring the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative and its role in enhancing clinical responses for children and youth at risk of toxic stress physiology. This session will provide a foundational understanding of CalAIM’s key components, including Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports, and how these initiatives create new opportunities for integrating trauma-informed care into clinical practice. Attendees will learn how CalAIM can be leveraged to improve care coordination, address social drivers ...

ACEs Aware Special Topics webinars raise awareness of partners and initiatives across California that align with our mission to prevent, identify, and respond to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress.

These dyadic documentation templates provide examples of how dyadic care services may be documented in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Non-Specialty Mental Health Services (NSMHS) Manual (last updated January 2025) and are intended solely for educational and training purposes.

This webinar focuses on supporting youth with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and equipping them with tools to thrive. Led by ACEs Aware young adult patient advisors and health professionals, this webinar highlights evidence-based approaches and practical techniques to help youth manage stress, build coping skills, and enhance their mental well-being. Whether you're a health care provider, behavioral health clinician, counselor, or advocate for youth well-being, this webinar will provide tools and inspiration to help young people heal from adversity and ...

Young people who have experienced adversity can be among the most competent healers, protectors, and lifesavers in a community, yet they are historically underrepresented in the emergency medical services (EMS), fire service agencies, and allied health workforce. This webinar will focus on how the EMS Corps program combines rigorous emergency medical technician (EMT) training with counseling, healing circles, professional development, and an earned stipend to train young people facing barriers to employment, including people in foster care and involved with the ...

This webinar focuses on the revision of an American College of Surgeons trauma-informed care curriculum that was implemented, tested, and revised to educate Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital health care workers. Trauma-informed care is an approach that considers patients’ lived experience and current circumstances to provide respectful, patient-centered care. Participants will hear about how this team used human-centered design principles to revise the curriculum, train trauma-informed health care workers, and promote a trauma-informed hospital ecosystem.

This session in the "Implementation with Intention" series focuses on how community-based organizations (CBO) can employ evidence-informed stress-mitigation strategies to help clients heal from toxic stress. The webinar will explore practical strategies for integrating Stress Busters into local programs while honoring the lived experiences of people affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Participants will learn how to adapt the strategies to their community's unique cultural and social contexts, overcome implementation challenges, and build capacity for sustainable use. Through real-world examples ...

The School-Based Health webinar series, developed in partnership with the California School-Based Health Alliance, explores the important role of school-based health and wellness centers in addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. This three-part series covers the impact of ACEs on youth well-being, practical approaches to ACE screening and clinical responses in youth-centered settings, and the Live Beyond campaign, which offers resources and raises awareness for young people navigating ACEs and toxic stress. Designed for health care providers, behavioral ...

This webinar offers an overview of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their impact on children and youth well-being and shares insights on implementing ACE screening and clinical response initiatives to address ACEs and toxic stress. It covers how school-based health centers (SBHC) are in a unique position to prevent, identify, and respond to ACEs and highlights opportunities to support the launch of ACE screening in SBHCs and enhance support for patients most affected by toxic stress.

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, features Dr. Nicole Racine and Katelyn Greer, who will present on “Youth Engagement in Child Maltreatment Research: Gaps, Barriers, and Approaches.” They will provide an overview of the potential for youth engagement within the field of child maltreatment research, identify barriers to youth engagement, provide trauma-informed strategies for engaging youth in the context of research, and review existing trauma-informed models for youth engagement.

This webinar will feature a University of California San Francisco (UCSF) pilot project focused on the use of trauma inquiry in family planning sessions. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and traumatic experiences, such as intimate partner violence (IPV), impact health outcomes of people seeking family planning services. IPV and sexual assault are more common among people with sexually transmitted infections and people seeking abortion care, yet trauma is not routinely discussed in family planning settings. Clinical cases will be used to ...

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, features Dr. Joanne Ryan, who will present on “Biological Embedding of Early-Life Adversity and a Scoping Review of the Evidence for Intergenerational Epigenetic Transmission of Stress and Trauma in Humans.” Dr. Ryan will provide an overview of studies that demonstrate the impact of early-life stress on DNA methylation and the biological transmission of stress across generations.

As part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, this webinar will feature Dr. Joan Jeung, who will present on “A Caregiver-Child Intervention for Mitigating Toxic Stress (‘The Resiliency Clinic’): A Pilot Study.” Dr. Jeung will discuss a novel primary care-based group intervention designed to mitigate toxic stress and promote resilience in children exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). 

In this Community Spotlight webinar, we feature the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI), which is a national nonprofit that works to empower current and former foster youth to use their lived experiences to tackle issues that most impact vulnerable children, families, and young adults. Los Angeles County is the largest child welfare system in the nation, and members of NFYI’s Los Angeles Chapter will share their lived experience of navigating issues with housing, mental health, justice, parenting, and substance use. ...

This webinar, part of the Clinical Pilots series, focuses on a trauma-informed diabetes intervention program that screens for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) within a safety net family medicine clinic. Participants will learn about diabetes as an ACE-Associated Health Condition, the methods and findings of this diabetes pilot, and how an ACEs and trauma-informed approach for diabetes management can supplement usual care.

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, features Dr. Cody A. Hostutler, who will present on ACEs Screening in Adolescent Primary Care: Psychological Flexibility as a Moderator. Dr. Hostutler will discuss the role of psychological flexibility in moderating the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on depression and body mass index (BMI) in adolescents.

This webinar, part of the Implementation with Intention series, will explore how Enhanced Care Management (ECM) can enhance comprehensive care coordination and link families to community and social service needs. Participants will review the new pediatric ECM Medi-Cal benefit and discuss opportunities to sustain this benefit to promote the health and well-being of Medi-Cal members with the most needs.

This webinar will introduce participants to how Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening is being used alongside other assessment measures as part of the intake process in a community mental health program that serves English- and Spanish-speaking patients. The presenters will discuss their culturally competent trauma-informed care model along with the rationale and techniques to overcome barriers to ACE assessment in this setting. They will also share strategies to help empower patients to live healthier lives by processing their experiences of ...

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, will feature Rebecca Ferro, who will present on “When Adverse Childhood Experiences Present to a Statewide Child Psychiatry Access Program.” Ferro will discuss the role of child psychiatry access programs in supporting primary care providers with pediatric patients.

This webinar will describe how and why a family wellness program that provides navigation and care coordination for the children of adult primary care patients was designed and implemented to mitigate intergenerational trauma at the UCSF Women’s HIV Program. Clinical vignettes will be used to illustrate how the program works and impacts the lives of participants. Evaluation data will be shared to demonstrate how the program has been adapted based on patient and provider/staff feedback and experience. Ideas and practices ...

In this webinar, part of the Implementation with Intention series, participants will explore the opportunity of primary care-based dyadic care for improving child and family well-being. They will review the new dyadic care Medi-Cal benefit and opportunities to pay for health promotion and prevention and explore the intersection between dyadic care and toxic stress prevention.

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, features Dr. Brian Joyce, who will present on “The Association of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) with Accelerated Epigenetic Aging in Midlife.” Dr. Joyce will talk about how ACEs may be persistently associated with the biological aging process in later life.

In this webinar, Dr. Laura Figueroa-Phillips, MD, MSCE, will discuss the beneficial effects of mindfulness and meditation for patients suffering from the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Dr. Figueroa-Phillips will give an overview of the existing evidence for these benefits and will share the results from her team’s pilot study, “Virtual Meditation as a Response to Adverse Childhood Events.” Dr. Figueroa-Phillips will conclude by sharing ideas for future projects and resources her team developed to promote mindfulness practices within ...

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, will feature Dr. Loren L. Toussaint, who will present on “The Association Between Parent and Child ACEs is Buffered by Forgiveness of Others and Self-Forgiveness.” Dr. Toussaint will discuss how self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others may interrupt, or buffer, intergenerational transmission of ACEs.

In this webinar, part of the Implementation with Intention series, ACEs Aware youth and young adult patient advisors will share their recommendations for how health care teams can discuss Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress with young patients. Participants will also hear a clinician's perspective on approaches to addressing ACEs and toxic stress among adolescent patients. 

The Office of the California Surgeon General, in partnership with California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, recently launched a campaign to raise awareness and offer resources to youth and young adults affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. The Live Beyond campaign is grounded in science, market research, and best practice, and was co-created with subject matter experts and youth from the ACEs Aware Youth and Young Adult Advisory Board. Join current and former California Surgeon Generals, Dr. ...

Pediatric primary care offers an unparalleled opportunity to promote child health by also supporting the health of caregivers through dyadic interventions. This handout is useful for understanding the rationale for dyadic care models in primary care settings.

Dyadic care improves child health and the way healthcare is delivered. This handout offers a summary of dyadic care in behavioral health settings.

Baby wellness visits are the most frequent point of contact with the healthcare system for families with young children. In this video, learn how these visits can provide an opportunity to address the caregiver and family context, provide behavioral health early intervention, connect families to resources, support early child development, and mitigate intergenerational trauma and the effects of toxic stress.

Research shows that comprehensive models of dyadic care in the pediatric clinic setting help identify and address caregiver and family risk factors for the benefit of the child. In this video, learn more about the dyadic intervention in pediatric primary care.

This video offers an overview of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH), which refers to the social and emotional development of children, including developing relationships, experiencing emotions, and exploring environment. This happens within the context of the family culture and community they are growing up. The bio-ecological model highlights how neural connections depend on interactions with adults and the environment, creating layers of potential impact on the child.

Babies remember stress in their body more than their "brain" - yet, neural connections are firing and creating opportunities for learning and growth. In this video, learn about how stress impacts a child when a caregiver is struggling. When providers understand the larger system patients exist within, this informs the creation of care plans. Early intervention, including emotional regulation and co-regulation work, allows for the potential to reduce or mitigate mental health challenges.

A dyad is seen 12 times in the first 3 years of life. A well child visit is a powerful place filled with teachable moments, a chance to witness moments of attunement, and opportunities for promoting wellness. This video highlights how focusing on prevention work promotes health, as well as supports identifying needs early on.

It is important to recognize the power and potential for impact by utilizing observations of a dyad as a tool to inform what might be needed and what questions are valuable to ask. Here in this video, we find practical examples of how to use typical moments in a visit to highlight emotional needs and experiences of a dyad.

Sometimes the biggest challenge to practice transformation is being able to understand and visualize how the work might actually play out. Here in this video, we are able to follow a trajectory of what a dyadic care visit might look like, exploring the various intervention possibilities.

Working from a foundation of reflection and a lens of equity, we find that pediatric providers are able to establish relationships with caregivers that, in turn, support and model the types of relationships we know that allow children to thrive. Here in this video, we learn a bit more about what reflective practice means, as well as how diversity-informed tenets can be a guide for this work.

In order to begin an exploration into dyadic care services, it can be helpful to understand what key elements might be needed to work towards something sustainable. In this video, learn about the basics of dyadic care billing.

Understanding the breakdown of how FQHC billing happens for Behavioral Health services includes a special look at how reimbursement happens and is impacted based on type of billing service. In this video, the ways to maximize revenue even for same day visits is explored.

As we continue to understand this paradigm shift, moving from problem-focused to prevention-based, as well as from individual to team-based care, this video helps explain which provider types are eligible to bill for these dyadic services.

A summary of the present family therapy code is shared in this video, along with an exploration into how it might be incorporated into a clinic focused on caring for dyads, even though it is separate from the dyadic service codes.

This video offers a deep dive into each new dyadic service code, reading through what is listed in the NSMHS manual as far as what is required and what is covered, as well as discussing how to implement them.

Practice transformation is challenging and integrated behavioral health is no exception. There are potential benefits of integrated behavioral health, as explained in this video. Learn about a tool to help assess how your practice is doing.

Taking a look at provider eligibility for dyadic care services, this video dives deep into what a dyadic behavioral health provider might look like in practice. Attention is brought to the HealthySteps program and their set of competencies for specialists as a useful guide, as well as highlighting the DC 0-5 diagnostic manual and its dimensions of caregiving scale.

One of the greatest barriers many clinics face is the shortage of behavioral health staff, in particular those with early childhood experience. Here in this video, we take a look at how to analyze your present workforce, skillset, and patient load to find a schedule that could work for all. With dyadic services, it is also important to highlight the opportunities that are presented to capture adult caregivers and support their mental health needs within the well child visit, as ...

In this course, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the causes and manifestations of burnout among health care professionals. They will learn about evidence-based self-care and stress-mitigation strategies they can use to promote personal resilience, as well as strategies health care organizations can use to manage and prevent burnout.

Pediatric dyadic care focuses on and emphasizes the importance of the relationship between the child and caregiver for healthy development. It is a proactive approach that empowers families to build strong relationships and promote healthy emotional development in children. One of the primary goals of this approach is preventing behavioral or emotional concerns from developing in children by strengthening the parent-child bond and equipping caregivers with skills to support their child's social-emotional growth. Dyadic care models can be particularly helpful ...

Infants rely on relationships with caregivers for survival. The relationship between an infant or young child and their caregiver(s) is one of the most critical factors influencing health and development for the rest of a person’s life. “Dyadic” approaches to health and wellness integrate the science of relationships into pediatric healthcare by centering significant relationships into assessment, intervention, and referrals as part of the pediatric patient’s care plan. Dyadic care in pediatric primary care means expanding the focus of pediatric ...

In this integrated care model, pediatric mental health professionals are available to address developmental and behavioral health concerns as soon as they are identified, bypassing the many obstacles families face when referred to offsite behavioral health services. Furthermore, in this model, health care for the child is delivered in the context of the caregiver and family (i.e. “dyadic health care services”) so that families are screened for behavioral health problems, interpersonal safety, tobacco and substance misuse, and social determinants of ...

Children and families with Medi-Cal insurance can access dyadic care benefits under the Non-Specialty Mental Health services benefit. The dyadic benefit is designed for patients ages 0-20 and is only reimbursable to this age group. Typically, dyadic care is provided by another member of the healthcare team, such as a licensed behavioral health provider, or a community health worker, who works alongside a pediatric healthcare provider. In this video series, learn more about billing for dyadic care.

In this webinar, representatives from Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Futures Without Violence, and Líderes Campesinas will discuss an ACEs Aware pilot project to promote health, leadership, and collaboration between farmworker leaders and community health centers in farmworker communities. Project NACES, built in collaboration with local community health centers and our evaluation partners, aims to increase opportunities for farmworkers to inform health care screening and responses to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), increase ACEs education in farmworker communities, build partnerships between community ...

The ACEs Aware Clinical Pilots webinar series highlights the work of researchers, health care teams, and community organizations that have received funding from ACEs Aware to advance the field of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. The series shares innovative strategies to identify, prevent, and respond to ACEs and toxic stress in different settings and patient populations. Each webinar in this series features specific work to address current gaps in evidence and practice, lessons learned, and implications for the ...

In this webinar, Dr. Candace Gragnani, MD, MPH, will discuss the evidence base for connecting with nature to mitigate toxic stress and improve physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Attendees will learn how nature can be leveraged as part of a Trauma-Informed Network of Care from two nature-based programs that engage youth at the clinical and community level. Dr. Gragnani will highlight findings from the ACEs Aware pilot project that explored park staff and pediatric health care provider views ...

This webinar focuses on the causes and manifestations of burnout among health care professionals, evidence-based strategies to effectively prevent and manage burnout, and how burnout can be addressed as part of the implementation of Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening and trauma-informed care activities. Participants will learn about self-care and stress-mitigation strategies to promote personal resilience, as well as strategies that health care organizations can use to prevent burnout, focusing on workload, work-life balance, and organizational culture.

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, will feature Dr. Diana Fishbein who will present on “Capitalizing on Neuroplasticity Across Development to Redirect Pathways from Juvenile Justice Involvement”. Dr. Fishbein will discuss insights on how to disrupt an adverse developmental pathway in young people that may lead to incarceration.

Fundamentos de la práctica informada sobre el trauma para entornos educativos y de cuidado ayuda a los proveedores de atención temprana, a los educadores de TK-12 y a otro personal escolar a reconocer y responder al trauma y el estrés en los niños y a crear entornos enriquecedores para mejorar el aprendizaje y el desarrollo. Esta capacitación gratuita en línea fue desarrollada por la Oficina del Cirujano General de California en colaboración con expertos en educación, salud mental juvenil e ...

This webinar will highlight recently published key findings from the California ACEs Learning and Quality Improvement Collaborative (CALQIC), which was a two-year, 48-clinic, seven-region collaborative that examined the challenges and facilitators to implementing, scaling, and sustaining ACE screening and response in frontline Medi-Cal clinics. Participants will hear from Dr. Edward Machtinger, who co-directed CALQIC (with Drs. Marguerita Lightfoot and Anda Kuo) and Dr. Nicole Eberhart, a Senior Behavioral Scientist at RAND Corporation, a CALQIC evaluation partner. The webinar will describe ...

In this ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series webinar, Dr. Rosemarie de la Rosa will present on the paper, “Biological Burden of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Children”. Dr. De la Rosa will discuss the relationship between ACEs and related life events and allostatic load, known as “wear and tear” from chronic stress, in a pediatric population.

This webinar will explore the fundamentals of billing and reimbursement for Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening. Tailored for health care professionals and administrators, participants will learn about the billing cycle of an ACE screen and clinical response and key steps to building a billing workflow. The presenters will share strategies that they have used successfully in clinical settings, with a focus on aligning financial practices with prevention, screening, and treatment for ACEs and toxic stress.

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, will feature Dr. M. Cooper Lloyd and Dr. Jaime La Charite, who will present on the paper, “Addressing Trauma and Building Resilience in Children and Families: Standardized Patient Cases for Pediatric Residents”. Dr. Cooper Lloyd and Dr. La Charite will discuss the creation, implementation, and evaluation of three standardized patient cases to train pediatric residents on how to use trauma-informed principles to talk to patients about Adverse Childhood ...

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, will feature Dr. Nicole Bush who will present on the following two papers: “Intergenerational Transmission of Effects of Women's Stressors During Pregnancy: Child Psychopathology and the Protective Role of Parenting” and “The Effects of a Prenatal Mindfulness Intervention on Infant Autonomic and Behavioral Reactivity and Regulation.” Dr. Bush will discuss the role of maternal histories of adversity (in pregnancy or early childhood) on their children's health, protective factors ...

In this edition of the Implementation with Intention webinar series, participants will learn how to prepare and set up common electronic health record (EHR) systems for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) screening and response. Participants will learn various approaches to EHR builds, how to leverage data systems for referrals within ACEs networks of care, and see examples of actual ACEs builds in specific EHR platforms.

In this course, developed with the UCLA Family Development Program, some of the basic concepts of trauma and resilience informed care will be examined. It focuses on how to improve the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) experience for families and, in turn, improve infant health outcomes. Several situations that may be encountered in the NICU are explored and ways to help alleviate the impact of trauma for families, providers, and the people with whom we work are reviewed.

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, will feature Dr. Neeta Thakur and Dr. Danielle Hessler Jones, who will present on the paper, “Pediatric ACEs and Related Life-events Screener (PEARLS) and Health in a Safety Net Practice”. They will discuss the use of the PEARLS tool for identifying and facilitating early detection of and intervention for ACEs in a pediatric setting.

In this edition of the Implementation with Intention webinar series, we will focus on how to develop your clinic's data strategy when implementing an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) screening and response initiative. Participants will learn about the ways in which clinics have developed their rationale and approach around their ACEs data systems, and understand the range of metrics they can use to track progress and improve their ACE screening implementation process.

Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practice for Educational and Care Settings helps early care providers, TK-12 educators, and other school personnel recognize and respond to trauma and stress in children and create nurturing environments for enhanced learning and development. This free online training was developed by the Office of the California Surgeon General in collaboration with experts in education, youth mental health, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research. It is part of California's Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, a historic effort ...

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, will feature Dr. Erin Hambrick, who will present on the paper, “Beyond the ACE score: Examining relationships between timing of developmental adversity, relational health and developmental outcomes in children”. Dr. Hambrick will discuss how the timing of adversity through four developmental stages affects developmental outcomes in children, and how relational health can be a supplemental tool to ACE screening in both evaluating developmental outcomes and serving as a ...

The ACEs Aware Community Spotlight webinar series highlights the innovative work being done by organizations across California to prevent, identify, and respond to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. In this Community Spotlight webinar, we feature Underground GRIT, a Southern California community-based organization that advocates for and provides a full scope of transformative services and support to men, women, and youth who have been system impacted. Led by Co-Founder and Program Manager Sharon Tang, MPH, the presentation describe the ...

The ACEs Aware Community Spotlight webinar series highlights the innovative work being done by organizations across California to prevent, identify, and respond to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress.

This presentation will describe a series of pilot studies that incorporated screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and resilience as part of routine prenatal care. These pilots built a foundation for Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) to expand ACE and resilience screening to all pregnant patients as part of standard care in 2021. The presenters will share data on the acceptability and feasibility of ACE screening in standard prenatal care, provide an overview of how ACEs are associated with perinatal ...

The ACEs Aware Stress Busters: Clinical Strategies for Preventing and Mitigating Toxic Stress course helps health care professionals develop their clinical response to childhood adversity and toxic stress through a comprehensive exploration of seven evidence-based, stress management strategies, called stress busters. This eight-module e-learning course introduces Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress, followed by an in-depth examination of each stress buster. Learners will gain an understanding of the scientific basis behind these evidence-based strategies for regulating toxic stress and ...

Engaging with partners and resources within and beyond the clinic is key to providing trauma-informed care and a robust response to Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening. This webinar will explore the concept of a trauma-informed network of care to support reproductive and sexual care teams’ response to ACE screening. Participants will consider potential collaborators and resources to address immediate stressors and support healing and thriving, including in situations where resources are limited. We will also consider how support for the ...

This webinar, part of the ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series, will feature Dr. Rachel Gilgoff, who will present on the paper, “Adverse Childhood Experiences, Outcomes, and Interventions”. She will discuss how the science of stress physiology provides a window into therapeutic targets for treating toxic stress, and will examine how providers can develop their clinical response to Adverse Childhood Experiences.

The Implementation with Intention webinar series continues with a session dedicated to answering commonly asked questions about implementing ACE screening and response initiatives in clinical settings. Participants will also learn about the resources available to support California teams doing this work, including new trainings on the ACEs Aware Learning Center, technical assistance offerings, and a new implementation pilot program.

Receiving reproductive health care can be a sensitive or even scary experience for patients, particularly those who have experienced adversity and trauma. Participants will review patient cases and hear from a family doctor who is doing this work in a reproductive health clinic setting. The webinar will address how the clinical team can apply trauma-informed principles to facilitate safe, collaborative, and empowering patient experiences; to administer sensitive screenings, including Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening, in a trauma-informed way; and to ...

The ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series provides a forum for discussing the emerging science of toxic stress, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and other early life adversities, as well as resilience and strength-based factors within a foundation of equity. The series highlights cutting-edge researchers and innovators in the field who have published evidence-based, community-engaged, and data-driven studies. In the first webinar in the series, Dr. Pat Levitt will present on his paper, “Leveraging the Biology of Adversity and Resilience ...

The ACEs Aware Science and Innovation Speaker Series provides a forum for discussing the emerging science of toxic stress, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and other early life adversities, as well as resilience and strength-based factors within a foundation of equity. The series highlights cutting-edge researchers and innovators in the field who have published evidence-based, community-engaged, and data-driven studies.

This webinar provides an overview of a training launched in July 2023 by the Office of the California Surgeon General (OSG) for educators, school personnel, and early care providers to help recognize and respond to trauma and stress in children. Join California Surgeon General Diana Ramos, the OSG team, and a panel of experts to discover more about the training that shares strategies for creating the conditions for safe and supportive learning environments for everyone. This overview of the Safe ...

The ACE Screening Implementation How-To Guide was developed to facilitate the adoption of ACE screening and trauma-informed care into practice at the organizational level. This series includes: (1) an introductory overview of the How-To Guide, (2) guidance on what is needed clinically, operationally, administratively, and emotionally to begin screening, (3) guidance on key decisions that must be made in selecting your clinic’s approach to implementing ACE screening and treating toxic stress, and (4) resources to create a supportive work environment, ...

In the first webinar in a three-part series -- ACEs and Trauma-Informed Care in Reproductive Health: Fundamentals and Priorities in the Field -- participants will learn about the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how a trauma-informed approach can be applied in sexual and reproductive health settings. Led by Sara Johnson, MD, FACOG, an OB/GYN and adviser to the ACEs Aware initiative, this webinar will provide a foundation of simple practice shifts and a discussion with Amanda Williams, MD, ...

The ACEs and Trauma-Informed Care in Reproductive Health Series explores opportunities to advance ACE screening and trauma-informed care in the reproductive health field.

In this webinar, members of the Marin Community Clinics (MCC) team will share their experience with implementing ACE screening and response in a Federally Qualified Health Center in the Bay Area. MCC, a pioneer in California since starting this work in 2017, is featured as a case study in the ACEs Aware Implementation How-to Guide and highlighted in previous “Implementation with Intention” webinars. Participants will have the opportunity to hear directly from MCC team members about their ACE screening implementation ...

This webinar will help participants tie together the elements of getting a practice ready, forming a team, getting buy-in, determining who and how to screen, and developing the clinical response to ACEs and toxic stress through real-world examples. Participants will learn how to prepare their teams and operations and discuss promising practices and lessons for ACE screening implementation from clinics in the field engaged in this work.

This webinar will help participants understand how to develop a clinical response to ACE screening and toxic stress. Participants will learn how to gather information, conduct a clinical assessment, and develop a treatment and follow-up plan using evidence-based strategies and frameworks.

In this webinar, participants will learn to understand and advance the key decisions that need to be made in selecting their clinic’s approach to ACE screening and the clinical response. This webinar will focus on helping participants determine who they will screen and how, prepare their clinical response for treating toxic stress, and map out how they will integrate ACE screening into their workflow.

The foundational information shared in this webinar will help California providers and health care teams understand the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening process at a high level and explore different approaches to implementation. Subsequent webinars in the series will focus on the specific details and logistics that clinics need to consider when implementing ACE screening and response. 

The foundational information shared in this webinar will help California providers and health care teams understand the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening process at a high level and explore different approaches to implementation. Subsequent webinars in the series will focus on the specific details and logistics that clinics need to consider when implementing ACE screening and response.

The Implementation with Intention series was developed to facilitate the adoption of screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs, and trauma-informed care into practice at the organizational level. Each session provides practical step-by-step guidance, as well as resources and tools to help clinics move further along their ACE screening implementation journey.

This training might be of interest to those serving pediatric patients in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo Counties. PeRC is a community partnership and was a grantee of the ACEs Aware initiative.

This training might be of interest to those serving families who would like to know more about intimate partner violence screening, including how ACE screening can be framed using the CUES approach (Confidentiality, Universal Education, Empowerment, Support). Futures Without Violence provides groundbreaking programs working to end violence against women and children and was a grantee of the ACEs Aware initiative.

This training might be of interest to those serving Pediatric patients who would like to learn more about trauma-informed pediatric care, and how mental health and primary care clinicians can work together by applying a "stepped care" framework to toxic stress treatment planning. UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital was an ACEs Aware grantee.

In this Supplemental Training from First 5 Contra Costa, participants will learn about the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma, and toxic stress on young children’s development and learning as influenced by culture, racism, discrimination, social determinants of health, and other factors.

This 4-module supplemental training series is developed by RCHC and designed for health care teams interested in screening for ACEs and applying trauma-informed care in their practice.

This training from First 5 Alameda County explains ACEs and their prevalence, health disparities in the data, toxic stress physiology, and related impacts on health, including underlying biological mechanisms. This training is intended for Medi-Cal providers.

This training from Tri-City Mental Health will delve into how we each play a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of children, adults, families, and communities.

This series from La Clinica de La Raza offers tools for medical providers, behavioral health clinicians, medical assistants, health educators, other women’s health team members to learn how to best care for our patients, to care for ourselves, and to connect with the purpose, meaning, and joy in our work.

This 12-lecture series from the Landon Pediatric Foundation is recommended for primary care providers and anyone who have an interest in ACEs and trauma-informed care.

This webinar from the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children – California ACEs Academy discusses opportunities for ACEs screening implementation in the medical setting, identifies evidence-informed clinical approaches for responding to ACEs within pediatric and family medicine practice, and presents effective strategies for responding to ACEs through community partnerships.

This webinar from the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children – California ACEs Academy discusses the power of preventing ACEs and explores topics related to ACEs such as corporal punishment and the spiritual impact of trauma.

This training from Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services is organized into seven modules and provides information on the vulnerability and resilience of young children in relation to brain development and ACEs.

This 7-module virtual supplemental training from Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services addresses ACEs, their prevalence, and trauma-informed care in Indigenous communities of California. The content of these modules support screening for ACEs and treatment of toxic stress in Indigenous communities.

This special webinar highlights the ACE Screening How-To Guide and implementation lessons from clinics across the state.

This is the third and final webinar in a series that explores the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. Dr. Rachel Gilgoff, Clinical and Science Senior Advisor for Aurrera Health Group, dives into how providers can develop their clinical response to ACEs and toxic stress, including treatment and follow-up plans.

This is the second in a series of webinars that explores the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. Al Race, Deputy Director and Chief Knowledge Officer from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University leads a deep dive into how early experiences affect lifelong health.

This is a special webinar highlighting the final release of the ACEs Aware Trauma-Informed Network of Care Roadmap. The Network of Care Roadmap provides practical steps that health care providers, clinics, community-based organizations, and social service agencies can take within their communities to grow cross-sector networks of care and improve collaboration and coordination across systems to prevent, treat, and heal toxic stress.

This is the first in a series of webinars that explores the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress, presented by California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris.

Featuring opening remarks by California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, this is the first in a series of webinars that will explore research demonstrating how racism and other forms of discrimination can serve as risk factors to activate a toxic stress response, and lead to health conditions that have been empirically associated with exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

This ACEs Aware webinar discusses the physiology of toxic stress and how to apply the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress in pediatric care.

The February ACEs Aware webinar discusses the secondary health effects associated with stress caused by COVID-19. Presenters share how ACEs Aware training and resources to treat toxic stress can equip providers with the knowledge and tools they need to effectively incorporate ACE screening into patient care, and to better respond to and support their patients during this time.

This webinar includes a discussion and concrete example of a trauma-informed network of care, a group of interdisciplinary health, education, and human service professionals, community members, and organizations that support adults, children, and families by providing access to evidence-based “buffering” resources and supports that help to prevent, treat, and heal the harmful consequences of toxic stress.

California’s first Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris set a bold vision to cut ACEs and toxic stress in half in one generation through a strategically deployed, coordinated public health initiative designed to raise awareness, reduce transmission of ACEs and strengthen our response networks. As part of this work, the Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG) developed the Roadmap for Resilience: The California Surgeon General’s Report on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Toxic Stress, and Health, which lays out how to advance ...

This webinar provides information for women’s health providers about the importance of ACE screening in improving maternal health. Speakers share resources for providers looking to introduce ACE screening in their practice, examples of how to create a healing environment for patients, and case studies on how to respond to ACEs with trauma-informed care.

This webinar provides strategies, promising practices, and resources to support health care providers and clinical leadership as they assess their own organizational readiness and build workforce resilience to successfully integrate Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening into clinical practice.

This webinar offers practical tips and examples on how providers can incorporate stress regulation strategies into their treatment planning for pediatric patients.

With an introduction from California’s first Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, this webinar features a cross-disciplinary group of providers who have extensive experience with ACE screening and clinical response in adult primary care. Ths webinar covers: The value of ACE screening and clinical response in family and adult medicine; The science and physiological impacts of ACEs and toxic stress; The ACE screening tool and the ACEs and Toxic Stress Risk Assessment Algorithm; and Four case studies on how screening ...

Dr. Burke Harris and three other health care providers walk through two case studies to show how ACE screening can impact their clinical decision-making.

With physician perspectives from pediatrics, women’s health, and emergency medicine, panelists discuss the secondary health impacts of COVID-19 and how to support patients during this time. This webinar covers: the potential short and long-term health consequences, delays and disruptions in care, and using Telehealth and trauma-informed approaches.

This webinar covers the importance of, and opportunities for, building and maintaining trauma-informed connections with patients using telehealth during the COVID-19 emergency.

The webinar covers how trauma-informed principles and practices can help providers and their teams sustain high quality care of patients, and take good care of themselves in the face of acute stress resulting from COVID-19. This includes ways to help patients increase buffering and protective factors, as well as supporting patients using Telehealth. The webinar also highlighted resources and handouts that providers can share with their patients.