Category C: Public Health System Components: Building capacity of the primary prevention networks in translating science to action for the promotion of health equity and reduction of ACEs - Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America) coordinates a national primary prevention network (i.e., public health system) focused on systems-level change across the prevention continuum (i.e., primary, secondary, tertiary). Our comprehensive approach to the primary prevention of ACEs is helping to create a primary prevention ecosystem in the US—one that prioritizes health equity and supports families before they find themselves in crisis. PCA America seeks funding to provide training and technical assistance (TA) (i.e., activities) to strengthen the capacity of our nationwide state chapter and Healthy Families America (HFA) networks—primary prevention networks (i.e., populations of focus)—in translating public health science (i.e., data, research, lived experience) to inform action toward the equitable prevention of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Over the five-year project period, PCA America will strengthen the capacity of our national primary prevention networks in translating science to action (S2A) through training and TA. The nationwide primary prevention networks are essential members of the primary prevention ecosystem. They serve in statewide leadership roles, helping to shape policy and program efforts to address issues of health equity in ACEs prevention. Under the CDC’s “policy and program” strategic area, PCA America’s S2A training and TA activities will concentrate on the following focus areas: • Strengthening economic supports to families (e.g., policies that strengthen household financial security and family-friendly work policies); • Ensuring a strong start for children (e.g., evidence based early childhood home visiting programs); and • Improving child and family outcomes through continuous quality improvement (CQI) with HFA sites. These activities will build our primary prevention networks’ knowledge and understanding of; enhance skill and ability to support decision-making toward applying; and increase the implementation and sharing of recommended processes, policies, programs, and practice to expand evidence-informed ACEs prevention policy and programmatic initiatives. By building capacity to advance evidence-informed policy and programmatic initiatives across the U.S., PCA America and our networks aim to reduce ACEs and to ensure the conditions for equitable health, wellbeing, and thriving families (i.e., strategy). PCA America and our networks are defined as a public health system outside the governmental system (i.e., Category C).
