The California Campaign to Counter Childhood Adversity is guided by the 4CA Action Plan, a statewide policy agenda to prevent and mitigate the effects of childhood adversity. Our goal to raise awareness of the impact of childhood adversity on children, youth, families and communities. In addition, we aim to address gaps and structural inequities in systems so they can prevent and appropriately respond to childhood adversity, strengthen protective factors and build resilience.


4CA advocates for public policies that:

  1. Increase awareness about the impacts of childhood adversity and the opportunities that build protective factors and resilience.
  2. Promote a trauma-informed workforce with demonstrated knowledge and skills to work with children, youth, families, and communities
  3.  Build systems and practices that promote early identification coupled with evidence-based interventions and promising practices to mitigate and/or prevent the negative consequences of childhood adversity


These objectives will be achieved through the following strategies:*

  1. Raise public awareness 
  2. Develop a trauma-informed workforce
  3. Recruit and train a diverse workforce
  4. Increase access to interventions
  5. Promote early identification coupled with interventions
  6. Partner in efforts to address determinants of childhood adversity
  7. Cultivate trauma-informed systems

Take Action

Track Policy Opportunities list of bills that are aligned with the Action Plan or aim to protect children's safety net 

Support  Policymaker Education Day education day to increase awareness of childhood adversity 

Develop and Disseminate Advocacy Materials for community advocates to effectively frame childhood adversity and what to do about it

Engage in Advocate Education training materials to increase knowledge about current models to address childhood adversity

Propose your Own Tactic for 4CA to consider and prioritize 


* Strategy is defined as the high-level, multi-year, multi-pronged mobilization of resources to achieve the goal and objectives.