The California Essentials for Childhood Initiative addresses child maltreatment as a public health issue and aims to 1) raise awareness and commitment to promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments; 2) create the context for healthy children and families through social norms change, programs and policies; and 3) uses data to inform actions.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) was awarded a competitive five-year grant, Essentials for Childhood: Steps to Create Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships and Environments, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), beginning in September 2013. The grant funds CDPH, Safe and Active Communities Branch, in collaboration with the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention, to support a collective impact approach to build upon, align, enhance and collaborate with existing efforts to promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments, prevent child maltreatment, and assure that children reach their full potential. The initiative addresses child maltreatment as a public health issue and aims to raise awareness and commitment to promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments; create the context for healthy children and families through social norms change, programs and policies; and use data to inform actions.4