Educate, Inspire, Connect!
The ACEs Health Champions Network is a system of interconnected non-profit organizations that seek to address the health effects of violence and abuse throughout the life course.
Purpose: The purpose of the ACEs Health Champions Network (AHCN) is to educate, inspire and connect as we build a community of health-focused individuals, organizations, and others dedicated to:
- Addressing the effects of and preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress
- Improving access to trauma-informed care
- Assessing and enhancing individual, family, and community strengths and protective factors
- Identifying and incorporating Positive Childhood Experiences (PCE)
- Sharing and disseminating evolving knowledge
- The promotion of healing from the health effects of violence and abuse throughout the life course
Activities: Activities include regular virtual Gatherings, recruiting volunteer speakers, building a network of organizations with similar missions, building a community of colleagues, and other activities as the planning team conceives them.
Gatherings: We have been convening virtual Gatherings since September 2021. Each Gathering is one hour with a short 15-20 mins presentation by a topic expert, followed by a discussion and sharing of emerging knowledge. The participants include people from all the networks of each organization and others. Participants come from all over the United States and the world.
Organizations: Our network of organizations has grown since September 2021 and currently includes:
- Academy on Violence and Abuse (AVA)
- American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC)
- California Chapter of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (CAPSAC)
- Zero Abuse Project
- Sacred Spaces
- Esperanza United
- The New York Foundling
- American Academy of Pediatrics California Chapter 1 (AAP/CA-1)
- Institute for Human Services/Child Maltreatment Policy Center
The Planning Team, consisting of leaders from each participating organization, shares the responsibility to plan Gatherings, identify topics, solicit volunteer speakers, and facilitate discussions. Additionally, all the organizations disseminate the invitations and post links to the recordings.
Logistics: AVA provides the zoom virtual platform, technical assistance, designing and disseminating the invitations, and posting the recordings of the Gatherings on the AVA website.
