Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences in Clinics Serving California Farmworker Communities: NACES Pilot Project Evaluation.

Abstract

The No More Adverse Childhood Experiences (NACES) pilot project addresses Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in rural farmworker communities in central California. Informed by engagement of farmworkers, the project included a clinic-based intervention that provided ACE education, screening, and response services during routine health visits with adult and pediatric patients. To understand the impact of the clinic-based intervention, the evaluation team developed a mixed-methods approach that collected and analyzed administrative data on ACE education and screening; clinic readiness for trauma informed health care self-assessments; staff training surveys; and interviews with staff, adult patients, and caregivers of pediatric patients. The evaluation found that clinic staff trained by NACES partners gained confidence in their ability to provide ACE education and screenings to the rural farmworker community they serve. In addition, adult patients and caregivers of pediatric patients said that ACE education was easy to understand and agreed that ACE education and screening was acceptable during routine visits with their or their child's doctor. Overall, results provide early evidence for the feasibility, acceptability, and potential for positive impact of an ACE education, screening, and response model that is informed by farmworker voices.