In recent years, many states have focused on addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) — stressful and potentially traumatic events that occur prior to age 18. Some states have adopted cross-sector statewide plans to address ACEs, while in other states, governors’ executive orders have put a priority on mitigating the effects of ACEs.

California and New Jersey are leading examples of states pursuing groundbreaking efforts and making substantial investments to address ACEs. California is the first state to prioritize mitigating the effects of ACEs and toxic stress across its programs, and New Jersey is the first state to establish an Office of Resilience to coordinate statewide ACEs-related efforts. This blog post highlights these two states’ approaches for preventing and mitigating the effects of early adversity on children and families as well as supporting resilience-building in their communities.