From Adversity to Action
The ACEs ECHO Program at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center brings new hope to children suffering from the impact of traumatic life experiences.
// By Susan Dubuque //
The growing awareness of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma-informed approaches to care are opening a new frontier for marketers committed to public health, community resilience, and population health. At the center of this movement is a program reshaping how professionals learn, collaborate, and deliver care: Project ECHO and its specialized program to address ACEs.
Project ECHO virtually connects community-based providers with specialists at academic medical centers to keep care local.
Evelyn Plumb, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, University of New Mexico
“The fundamental principle of Project ECHO is the democratization of education and best practices through tele-mentoring. One of the most significant adaptations of this model is the ACEs ECHO program, which focuses specifically on adverse childhood experiences,” explains Dr. Evelyn Plumb, clinical psychologist at The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and a member of the ACEs ECHO “Hub team.”
“ACEs refer to potentially traumatic events that occur before age 18 — such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction like parental substance use, mental illness, or incarceration,” Plumb says. These experiences can have a lasting impact on a child’s development, health, and well-being.
Read on to learn more about the ACEs ECHO program and explore how health care marketing can play a vital role in addressing the needs of this vulnerable population.