Thanks to tireless advocacy combined with impressive outcomes data, funding was allocated in the California state budget to support the continuation of the program. This is a prime example of how initial federal investments can ultimately lead to long-term sustainability of successful programs.

When Aurrera Health launched the ACEs Aware initiative on behalf of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and the Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG) in late 2019, we knew we were on the forefront of change.

Pathways to Resilience will serve as a convenor of state leaders, policymakers, and administrators and offer a forum to collaborate and share best practices with colleagues across the country. We will draw on the wisdom of a Steering Committee of Governors’ First Spouses – chaired by Delaware First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney – who have committed to help champion this work.

Since the fall of 2019, Aurrera Health Group has been working closely with the Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG) and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to launch the ACEs Aware initiative – a first-in-the-nation, statewide effort to promote screening for early detection of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and mitigate against the health and societal impacts of ACEs and toxic stress.