ACEs Aware Family Resilience Network
UCAAN
The UCLA-UCSF ACEs Aware Family Resilience Network
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur when people are young. Abuse, neglect, household challenges and associated toxic stress are the root causes of many common, serious, and costly health and social challenges facing California. Learn more about ACEs.
UCAAN is a multi-campus initiative to address ACEs that leverages the substantial interdisciplinary resources of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) campuses.
ACEs Aware – Leading the Nation
ACEs Aware is a first-in-the-nation effort to promote early detection and intervention to mitigate the health and societal impacts of ACEs and toxic stress. The initiative was launched in December 2019 as part of Governor Newsom’s California for All initiative and is a collaborative effort between the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) the Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG).
Los Angeles Wildfire Resources
UCAAN is organizing volunteers and providing resources for people affected by the L.A. Wildfires.
Academic Anchoring at the University of California
In October 2021, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) contracted with the UCLA/UCSF ACEs Aware Family Resilience Network (UCAAN) to implement the ACEs Aware initiative, with oversight provided by DHCS and the Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG). Our expert team develops, promotes, and sustains evidence-informed responses to prevent and help all patients heal from the impacts of trauma and toxic stress through investments in the following areas:
UCAAN Values
Four values inform UCAAN’s work across all departments, advisory groups, and committees:
Whole Person and Whole Family Wellness
Including the whole family unit in care we provide, including dyadic care
Health Equity
Recognizing the role that structural discrimination has played in determining inequitable health outcomes and ensuring access to screening and services for all Californians
Community Engagement
Ensuring that we reach communities that have been historically marginalized and underserved
Alignment of Systems
Aligning resources and systems of care to ensure that clinicians, families, and communities are able to overcome the impacts of toxic stress