Description: Research findings from the Kaiser-CDC Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study have greatly influenced our understanding of childhood adversity as a social determinant of health. As social awareness of the problem has increased, so too has interest in effective clinical and policy responses to ACEs. However, as an observational epidemiological study, the ACEs research provides strong evidence about the damaging health impacts of ACEs but little guidance on how to prevent and intervene. Therefore, new research is needed to translate the ACEs research into policy and practice, particularly in the health care system. This workshop will 1) provide an overview of what we know and do not know from the ACEs research, and 2) review the current evidence regarding promising and evidence-based interventions to respond to ACEs. Both topics will describe national evidence but specifically highlight evidence and examples from North Carolina.
Trainer: Paul Lanier, MSW, PhD is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he teaches courses in social policy and program evaluation. He is also a research fellow at the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services research and the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center. Dr. Lanier received his doctoral degree from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. His current research focuses on developing, evaluating, and scaling-up evidence- based prevention programs in child welfare, mental health, and early childhood systems. He has led studies with interventions including Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), the Triple P Positive Parenting Program, Circle of Parents, and several maternal and child health home visiting models. In addition to his focus on intervention research, Dr. Lanier also uses linked, multi-sector administrative data for policy analysis of child welfare and child health systems. He is currently a board member of the North Carolina Infant Mental Health Association and the North Carolina Chapter of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.
Learning Objectives: Participants completing this event will be able to:
- Articulate the key findings, and limitations, of the ACEs study focusing specifically on the burden on individual and public health.
- Critically review the best available evidence regarding current interventions and strategies to address ACEs.
- Identify promising approaches and initiatives in North Carolina to address ACEs in policy and clinical practice.
Winston-Salem Clinical Lecture Series, a joint program of UNC School of Social Work and Northwest AHEC of Wake Forest School of Medicine