Golden State Today

Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed May 11, 2024, as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Awareness Day. This is part of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, under which the California Surgeon General will launch an ACEs and Toxic Stress Healing-Centered Awareness Campaign this month. The campaign aims to enhance our understanding of ACEs and toxic stress while providing strategies that promote healing for youth, young adults, and their supporters.

The proclamation emphasizes the importance of ensuring a healthy start in life for Californians and shines a light on the need to prevent and address ACEs. These experiences are highly stressful and potentially traumatic events that can lead to toxic stress if not properly managed. Toxic stress disrupts brain development and other organ systems, leading to chronic health issues like heart disease and societal challenges such as homelessness.

A recent survey by RAND revealed that 60% of respondents have experienced at least one ACE. Furthermore, 23% of youth and 30% of parents or caregivers have experienced four or more ACEs.

California has made significant strides in preventing and addressing the negative health impacts of ACEs through initiatives like the ACEs Aware Initiative. Led by the Department of Health Care Services in partnership with the California Surgeon General, this initiative has trained over 35,300 individuals to screen for ACEs. It has also facilitated more than 2.3 million screenings among over 1.5 million Medi-Cal members.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, Governor Newsom urged all Californians to learn about evidence-based prevention and healing strategies on Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Day.