At Camarena Health, we are doing our part to improve community health. That’s why we’re working to prevent ACEs.

ACEs stands for adverse childhood experiences. Adverse childhood experiences are potentially traumatic events occurring in childhood (0-17 years). For example:

• Experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect
• Witnessing violence in the home or community
• Having a family member attempt or die by suicide

Also included are aspects of the child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding, such as growing up in a household with:

• Substance misuse
• Mental health problems
• Instability due to parental separation or household members being in jail or prison

ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance misuse in adulthood. ACEs can also negatively impact education and job opportunities.

All our behavioral health providers at Camarena Health are trained through the ACEs Aware Core Training. Behavioral health providers started to screen all behavioral health patients for ACEs to provide treatment and healing to our patients.

Additionally, our medical providers have all received the ACEs Aware Core Training. We are in the process of becoming a trauma-informed clinic by training medical providers and staff in screening all patients.