Fall 2017 - Winter 2018 MSU School of Social Work Newsletter MSU-Social-Work-2017-2018-Newsletter | Page 19
Increased and Sustained Awareness of Adverse
Childhood Experiences (ACE) and impact on
Michigan’s future health care, education, law
enforcement.
Regional Training that will produce a cohort
of individuals qualified to link ACE Screening
outcomes with community interventions.
Continuing education opportunities for Michigan’s
health providers to gain knowledge and skill
Development and Implementation of State policy
that will enable the use of the ACE screening tool
as Children receive health screenings and services.
This effort will be guided by a Michigan ACE Initiative
Steering Committee composed of representatives from
a broad array of health, education, and law enforcement
organizations—including Cheryl Williams-Hecksel, a
senior clinical instructor for MSU School of Social Work.
Further involvement of the MSU School of Social Work has
been the participation of Amanda Dubey-Zerka as part of
the master training for ACE that took place in late September
at the MSU Biological Station at Gull Lake. Additional
master training will take place next March in Plymouth at
the Inn at St. John’s, and next September in Saginaw at the
Central Michigan University Medical School annex adjacent
to Covenant Hospital.
The cumulative effects of ACES reflect a powerful
opportunity for prevention—no matter if you are working
to prevent heart disease or cancer, end homelessness or
hopelessness, or improve business profitability—as we align
a portion of our work around a common goal of preventing
the accumulation of ACEs and moderating their effects, we
will reduce all of these problems, and many others, all at
once!
The ACE Study is unique because it provides the potential
to understand how multiple forms of childhood stressors can
affect many important public health problems. Challenges
to address population health, social determinants of health
disparities, as well as the need to create integrated delivery
systems are at the core of how ACE must be addressed in
Michigan.
on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)
Cheryl Williams-Hecksel:
“Understanding Adverse
Childhood Experiences and
resilience is essential for social
work professionals.”
Amanda Dubey-Zerka:
“Understanding the impact of
ACEs is essential to prevention,
intervention, and resilience building
for current and future generations.”
Cheryl Williams-
Hecksel
Pictured with Dr. Robert Anda, co-principal investigator
of the ACE Study, is Amanda Dubey-Zerka of MSU
School of Social Work.
Ongoing information on the Michigan ACE Initiative can be found at: http://mahp.org/ace-grant
Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/MichiganACE/
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7h4KhtA. gPa6JyElRb2UofQ
Fall 2017/Winter 2018 SSW NEWS
19