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Written on October 18, 2023

MPHI Awarded 2.4 million dollars to lead statewide efforts in preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences

In September 2023, MPHI’s Center for Strategic Health Partnerships was awarded the Michigan Essentials for Childhood – Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (MI-EfC) cooperative agreement. This significant achievement marks a critical milestone in our ongoing commitment to promoting the well-being of Michigan’s children and families.

Michigan is one of 12 states and territorial agencies chosen by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to receive funding to enhance childhood trauma surveillance and prevention efforts. Spearheaded by MPHI Center for Strategic Health Partnerships (CSHP), the MI-EfC initiative has been allocated $2.4 million over five years. These funds will support work between key stakeholders in Michigan, including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Michigan Department of Education, and other state and local collaborators.

The primary mission of MI-EfC is to tackle Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) head-on, with a commitment to cultivating a safe and nurturing environment for every child within the state. To achieve this, MI-EfC will concentrate its efforts on the following strategic initiatives:

  • Enhancing data availability: MI-EfC will work diligently to expand the accessibility of data on adverse childhood experiences, social determinants of health, and other risk factors affecting Michigan’s youth. A pivotal aspect of this endeavor involves increasing the collection of protective and positive childhood experiences (PCE) data, empowering us to better understand and capitalize on the inherent strengths of our state’s children and communities.
  • Creating public education campaigns: MI-EfC will spearhead the development of public education campaigns to instill a shared responsibility for the safety and well-being of Michigan’s children among all stakeholders.
  • Support for unlicensed childcare providers: Recognizing the vital role unlicensed childcare providers play, often comprising family members or friends, MI-EfC will equip them with comprehensive knowledge about ACEs, childhood development, and strategies to proactively prevent ACEs while bolstering resilience.

Dr. Sala Hamrick, senior research scientist and project director of the Michigan ACE Initiative emphasized, “Michigan possesses robust networks dedicated to supporting children and families grappling with trauma and adversity. The CDC’s financial support will enable us to join forces with state and local communities and agencies, to implement evidence-based ACE prevention strategies tailored to each community’s unique strengths and needs.”

At its core, the CSHP MI-EfC project is dedicated to increasing the number of healthy and thriving children across Michigan and fostering the creation of accessible, community-level data that support essential programs and services.

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