A new, free statewide training series on “Advancing Trauma-Informed Communities” is now available for primary care, acute care and behavioral health providers.

The series is part of the ACEs Aware initiative, a first-in-the-nation statewide effort to screen patients for trauma and the increased likelihood of health conditions associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress.

Participating physicians will improve their knowledge and capacity for

• Defining adverse childhood experiences and their prevalence, health disparities in these data, toxic stress physiology, and related impacts on health, including underlying biological mechanisms
• Identifying how to introduce and integrate ACEs and toxic stress screening into clinical care, aligning with trauma-informed care principles
• Describing special populations at increased risk of ACEs and toxic stress
• Identifying at least three strategies to facilitate warm handoffs and referrals to community resources

The training will explore evidence-informed, non-clinical workflows; policy recommendations at the local and state levels; strategies for formalizing and sustaining partnerships with community-based organizations; and facilitating data sharing.

The provider training schedule is organized by geography and held virtually for 3.5 hours with a scheduled break. Learn more and register here, and be sure to complete the emailed pre-survey.

• Bay Area on Feb. 23 (Santa Clara, San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties)
• Capital Region on March 3 (Sacramento, San Joaquin, Placer, Sutter, El Dorado, Amador, Yolo and Yuba Counties)
• Central Coast on March 5 (Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties)
• Central Valley on Feb. 26 (Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus, Tulare, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono, Alpine and Calaveras Counties)
• Inland Empire on March 1 (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties)
• North Coast on Feb. 24 (Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino Counties)
• Northern California on March 4 (Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen, Shasta, Trinity, Plumas, Butte, Tehama, Glenn, Colusa, Sierra, Nevada and Lake Counties)
• Los Angeles County on March 2
• Orange County on Feb. 22
• San Diego Region on Feb. 25 (San Diego and Imperial Counties)

The series is presented by the Catalyst Center, an ACEs Aware grantee that leverages connections between research, policy and practice to inform and lead capacity-building efforts among service providers across the state of California who work in the fields of child and family services.

Please email questions and comments to info@catalyst-center.org.

Also see: Free webinar on 2/24 to discuss how ACEs Aware can support providers and patients during COVID-19