ACEs Aware

Today marks the #WinterSolstice – the shortest day of the year. Carve out some time outside before the sun sets to boost serotonin levels, which plays a key role in your mental health.

The Live Beyond campaign recently published expanded resources to support health care teams and their patients’ journey toward healing. The new resources now available online include: • Provider Tip Sheet • Posters • Patient Guide Access the provider resources at https://lnkd.in/gu4pcHiw.

The holidays can be stressful, especially for people living with mental health and substance use disorder conditions. Here are several ways to address stress and find moments of joy amidst the hustle and bustle this holiday season. Read more from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at https://lnkd.in/eEDRctXH.

More than 42,240 individuals completed the Becoming ACEs Aware in California core training, a free, two-hour, online course that covers Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), toxic stress, ACE screening, toxic stress risk assessment, and trauma-informed care. Take the training today at https://lnkd.in/gQ_ykt9w.

Join us tomorrow, December 12, for the next webinar in our Science and Innovation series, ACE Screening of Adolescents – Psychological Flexibility as a Moderator. Dr. Cody Hostutler will describe the role of psychological flexibility in moderating the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and health outcomes, particularly depression and elevated BMI, in adolescents. We’ll discuss comprehensive ACE screening practices in pediatric primary care that incorporate both risk factors and protective factors. Register Now: https://lnkd.in/gA2sFw5p.

December is #SeasonalAffectiveDisorder (SAD) Awareness Month. While it’s common to experience “winter blues,” as the seasons change, prolonged periods of mood and behavioral changes can be indicative of SAD. Swipe to learn more about diagnoses and treatment of SAD. Visit the link below for tips from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): https://lnkd.in/eUfMz_7F.

Safe, stable, and nurturing relationships can: 1. Improve mental health 😌 2. Lower blood pressure 🩸📉 3. Improve one’s immune system 💪 4. Help us live longer ⚕️ On this National Communicate with Your Kids Day, explore ways to build supportive relationships. Find more resources at https://lnkd.in/gS8_NcSA.

On this day in 2019, the ACEs Aware Initiative launched as a first-in-the-nation effort to screen patients for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to help improve and save lives. As we celebrate five years, we reflect on the progress that California health care teams and communities have made in preventing, identifying, and responding to ACEs and toxic stress. Read the ACEs Aware Progress Report: 2019-2023 (published in May 2024) for an overview of the progress and impact of the initiative’s first four years. Read the Report: https://lnkd.in/gZrRQFB3.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that three in four students (76.1%) experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE). Nearly one in five (18.5%) experienced four or more ACEs. Preventing ACEs has considerable potential public health impacts in adolescence and beyond. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/eUZi-eme.

ACEs Aware wishes you and yours a very happy and stress-free Thanksgiving.