This brief highlights the recent work of nine states (Alaska, California, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Wyoming) to prevent and mitigate adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and to implement trauma-informed practices at the state level. Experiencing adversity in early life can affect a person’s health, well-being, and success into adulthood. COVID-19 has brought additional attention to the impact of ACEs and trauma across the lifespan, which may be exacerbated by disruption in the lives of families; increased family stressors; income, food, and housing insecurity; social isolation; and school closures. ACEs are common across sociodemographic groups; however, they do not impact all sociodemographic subgroups equally – elevating ACEs as an important locus for states to address health equity. To mount an effective response to ACEs, states are implementing holistic approaches to promoting resilience for children and their families and adopting approaches that combine universal training, access to screening and treatment, improved data collection and reporting, and a commitment to transformative, cross-agency cultural change.
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