Model and Strategy
The Center for Youth Wellness was created to respond to new medical understanding of how early adversity harms developing brains and bodies of children. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic events shown to have profound impact on a developing brain and body with lasting health effects. There are ten recognized ACEs within three general types: (1) abuse;; (2) neglect;; (3) household dysfunction. High numbers of ACEs are associated with increased risk for serious health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Research by CYW founders Dr. Nadine Burke Harris and Dr. Victor Carrion demonstrated children exposed to 4 or more ACEs are 32 times more likely to experience learning and behavior problems in school. Integrating this emerging science, research and clinical practice, CYW developed a model to prevent, screen and heal impacts of ACEs and toxic stress. With a transformative clinical pediatric approach, CYW works with Bayview Child Health Center to screen all children for ACEs at annual physicals, leading to early detection and intervention to take advantage of the heightened neuroplasticity in early childhood.
Impact
In July of 2015, CYW made its clinical ACE screening tool available for download by physicians at centerforyouthwellness.org. In the past 2 months, over 200 clinicians from around the world have downloaded the tool. CYW will follow up with this community of ACE screening tool users for feedback to help refine the protocol.
The goal is to expand a community of practice and disseminate CYW’s clinical tool and successful interventions, so there is widespread national replication of ACE screenings and early interventions to improve health, educational and wellness outcomes for children across the country.
CYW is launching a 3-year clinical research trial in Fall 2015 in partnership with Benioff Children’s Hospital of Oakland and University of California, San Francisco to validate the CYW screening and intervention model, and to identify biomarkers linked to physiological developments causing risks for long-term health and education issues. The study will include 500 patients.
CYW is also launching a 3-year national public education campaign for caregivers and medical professionals in Fall 2015 to bring broad awareness about the effects of early exposure to adversity on health, education and wellbeing for children. The campaign will significantly expand the impact of our work to create awareness about screening and early interventions to prevent health and educational challenges.
Leadership
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Nadine Burke Harris, MD, MPH, FAAP
Founder and Chief Executive Officer