Healers, parents, providers,
let’s make our community ACEs Aware.
Join the Movement.
Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), assessing for toxic stress, and responding with evidence-based interventions, can significantly improve the health and well-being of individuals and families.
Knowledge is Power
Repeated or prolonged activation of a child’s stress response, without the buffering of trusted, nurturing caregivers and safe, stable environments, leads to long-term changes in the structure and functioning of the developing brain, metabolic, immune, and neuroendocrine responses, and even the way DNA is read and transcribed. Understanding this gives us the power to interrupt the cycle of toxic stress, and find healing solutions.
Build Resilience.
By understanding the link between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adverse Community Environments (The Pair of ACEs), we can address root causes, and create a more just, equitable, and nurturing community for everyone.
ACEs do not define you.
“When we’re a child experiencing severe, ongoing stress — like ACEs or discrimination — it can cause our body’s stress response systems to get stuck ‘on’ and disrupt our brains, our bodies, even our genes.
These disruptions can affect us in childhood and have ripple effects throughout our lives. But that number does not define us. It is simply an entry point to our own personal story.” - NumberStory.org
Learn More.
There are multiple organizations across the state dedicated to understanding the history, developing intervention strategies and engaging in community work to support children and families. Click on the image to access resources and information from some of these trusted partners:
ACEs Aware California
California is leading the way by training and providing payment to Medi-Cal providers for ACE screening to significantly improve health and well-being across the state.
PACEs Connection
PACEs Connection, formerly ACEs Connection, looks at ACEs while using brain science, generational trauma, ACEs epidemiology and health consequences.
Number Story
Number Story explores how the number of ACEs we have each experienced has the potential to impact other parts of our lives.
Center for Community Resilience
The Center for Community Resilience aims to inspire, support and sustain a movement of communities that can address the root causes of childhood trauma, foster equity and build community resilience.
Stanford ACEs Aware
Stanford Medicine is one of the leading health centers in our country. Their research seeks to help pediatrics health care providers and community partners screen for ACEs and the principles of trauma-informed care into practice.
First 5 Santa Cruz County
To help children succeed in school and in life, First 5 Santa Cruz County invests in health, early learning and family support to promote optimal development of Santa Cruz County children.
HIP Santa Cruz County
HIP is a nonprofit health care coalition that works to expand health care access and building stronger health care systems.