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What is the California Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative?

The California EfC Initiative is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded project that is led in partnership by the California Department of Public Health, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB) and the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention (CDSS/OCAP). As directed by the CDC’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through Data to Action (CDC-RFA-CE-23-0005) and with guidance from the EfC Initiative’s Steering Committee (Steering Committee), CDPH/IVPB and CDSS/OCAP work to enhance California’s Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs) surveillance infrastructure, connect youth to caring adults, promote social norms that protect against violence and adversity, and expand existing efforts to implement “data to action” activities using PACEs surveillance data to guide primary ACE prevention efforts.​

Mission

Support and participate in mutually reinforcing data-driven activities and strategies across multiple agencies and partners that work to optimize the health and wellbeing of all children in California. 

Vision

All California children, youth, and their families thrive in safe, stable, nurturing relationships and communities where they live, work, and play. 

The Role of Public Health in ACEs Prevention and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) Promotion ​

ACEs are potentially traumatic events, such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction and can result from a number of individual, family, societal, and environmental factors.[1] ACEs are preventable —safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments are key to prevention.[2] ACEs prevention efforts can also prevent other forms of violence, as various types of violence are interrelated and share many risk and protective factors, consequences, and effective prevention tactics.[2]​​ ​Utilizing a public health approach, we can prevent childhood adversity.  


Reference​

[​1]  Hughes K, Bellis M, Hardcastle K, Sethi D, Butchart A, Mikton C, Jones L, Dunne M. The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health, Volume 2, Issue 8, e356 - e366 
[2] ​ Fortson, B. L., Klevens, J., Merrick, M. T., Gilbert, L. K., & Alexander, S. P. (2016). Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Resource for Action: A Compilation of the Best Available Evidence. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

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​A Framework for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment
 ​Essentials for Childhood Partners ​Child Maltreatment Data
​Resources ​Essentials for Childhood Partners ​Child Maltreatment Data
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