Our Priorities
The Office of the California Surgeon General is advancing the health and well-being of all Californians by focusing on three key priorities—ACEs and toxic stress, mental health, and reproductive health.
ACEs & Toxic Stress
California’s first Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, set a bold goal to reduce Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress by half in one generation.
Mental Health
The mental health of an individual is inextricably linked to some of the greatest health challenges of our society.
Reproductive Health
Reproductive health is an essential part of well-being and a key priority for the Office of the California Surgeon General.
Addressing ACEs in California
The ACEs Aware initiative is a first-in-the nation effort to screen patients for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to help improve and save lives.
32,840+
Individuals have completed the ACEs Aware training.
52%
Percentage of participants who were not previously screening for ACEs indicated that they planned to begin screening.
1,803,100+
ACE screenings conducted.
82%
Percentage of ACE screenings conducted of Medi-Cal beneficiaries age 20 and under.
Information & Resources
Communications Toolkits
Explore the tools you need to successfully communicate health topics related to the California Surgeon General’s priorities with your audiences.
Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practice for Educational and Care Settings
Safe spaces is a free, online training designed to help early care providers, TK-12 educators and other school personnel recognize and respond to trauma and stress in children.
The ACEs and Toxic Stress Campaign
Through the Children & Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, our office was allocated $24M to create a campaign to increase public understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. We have the unique opportunity to build a campaign that gives youth and young adults across California the resources and strategies they need to manage toxic stress, heal from adversity, and end cycles of trauma.
Videos
Latest News and Updates
California Surgeon General Visits Los Angeles to Promote Trauma-Informed Schools
SACRAMENTO – Thursday, February 22 – Last week, California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos visited Los Angeles Unified School District’s Ramona Opportunity High School. The visit comes after the...
California Surgeon General Visits Los Angeles to Promote Trauma-Informed Schools
SACRAMENTO – Thursday, February 22 – Last week, California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos visited Los Angeles Unified School District’s Ramona Opportunity High School. The visit comes after the launch of The Office of the California Surgeon General’s (CA-OSG)...
Bend Elementary Embraces Trauma-Informed Practices, Visited by California Surgeon General
Bend Elementary School of the Evergreen Union School District in Tehama County is working to incorporate trauma-informed practices into its school system. Last week, California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos made an appearance at Bend Elementary to observe how the...
California Surgeon General Focuses on Student Trauma During Visit to Sonoma Schools
The Sonoma Valley Unified School District welcomed the California surgeon general in late January to learn about a new training to help educators, other school personnel and early child care providers respond to children’s trauma and stress. The visit of Dr. Diana...
State Surgeon General Visits Tehama County
California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos visited Evergreen Union School District’s Bend Elementary School Thursday after the launch of a new trauma-informed training designed to help educators, school personnel and early care providers respond to trauma and stress...
The California Surgeon General Stopped by Tehama County’s Bend Elementary School
The visit from Dr. Diana Ramos is part of a new trauma-informed training, called Safe Spaces, to help educators and early care provides respond to stress in their students. Watch: The California Surgeon General stopped by Tehama County's Bend Elementary School Learn...