PACEs Connection Resource Center

State Legislation Related to ACEs

PACEs Connection tracks and reports on state legislation, drawing largely upon the National Conference of State Legislatures’ (NCSL) database of bills that address ACEs, childhood trauma, child adversity, and toxic stress.

You can look up enacted/approved bills and resolutions that specifically address ACEs by state on this PACEs Connection site: State ACEs and TI Laws and Resolutions. Summary stories are posted on PACEs Connection twice a year. Here is the most recent PACEs Connection story:

• 2011-2021—Update on a decade of steady growth in PACEs, ACEs and TI laws and resolutions in the states
  The steady growth in ACEs and Trauma-Informed laws and resolutions has continued since the last snapshot in PACEs Connection in June 2021. That article reported that state legislatures and governors in dozens of states enacted nearly 60 laws and resolutions that specially reference adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) or trauma in the years 2019 and 2020. A new tally shows that in 2021 alone, another 36 laws passed plus one more enacted in New Jersey in 2022.
• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Database
  The NCSL database is a major source of information since 2018 for PACEs Connections' review of legislation.

  • Click here for a PACEs Connection post (May 26, 2021) on how to access and use the NCSL database. This post also includes links to your state’s legislative website and to information on state legislature’s convening dates. 

  • NCSL Brief: Preventing and Mitigating the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (August 2018)

Selected State-Related Resources

State ACEs and TI Laws and Resolutions

State/Territorial Policy Considerations for Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences by Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) (2022). In consultation with Jonathan Purtle, DrPH at New York University's School of Global Public Health, ASTHO staff identified a range of evidence-supported policies considered by state legislatures from 2019 – 2021 that could prevent ACEs. This document synthesizes these research and policy proposals and is intended for public health practitioners and policymakers who are considering adopting similar policies in their jurisdictions.

Alaska

• Cost of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Alaska by Alaska Children’s Trust

• Vibrant Economy, Strong Workforce, Thriving Families: A Guide to Trauma-Informed Policy Decision-Making by Alaska Children’s Trust

California

• Case Study of California’s ACEs Aware initiative by National Governors Association (NGA) (October 2021). The NGA Center, in partnership with the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy (Duke-Margolis), the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), and a former leader in Tennessee’s strategic implementation of Building Strong Brains Tennessee (BSBTN), convened a five-state learning collaborative on preventing and mitigating ACEs and promoting resilience in children and families. This case study highlights California’s ACEs Aware initiative and its key elements as a model for other states.

Illinois

• Policy Briefs: Health, Justice, and Education by the Illinois ACEs Response Collaborative (2017). Full and summary briefs are available on the following 3 topics: ACEs for Health Systems and Providers, ACEs and the Juvenile and Criminal Justice Systems, and ACEs for Educators and Stakeholders.
• Trauma-Informed Policymaking Tool by the Illinois ACES Response Collaborative

Tennessee

• Case Study: Building Strong Brains in Tennessee (BSBTN) from National Governors Association (NGA) (March 2021). NGA Center, Duke-Margolis and a former Tennessee leader highlight BSBTN and its key elements of success as one model from which other states can learn. They are currently working with five states — Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming — to develop sustainable state-level strategies to prevent and mitigate childhood traumas associated with ACEs. 
• The Economic Cost of ACEs in Tennessee: Medical Costs and Worker Absenteeism from Health Issues Attributed to Adverse Childhood Experiences by The Sycamore Institute. The economic cost of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among Tennessee adults was $5.2 billion in direct medical costs and lost productivity in 2017.