1 Hour / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Behavioral Health Aspects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is presented by Jerrod Brown, PhD as part of the Integrated Behavioral Health Certificate. 

This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards the Integrated Behavioral Health Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are defined as the exposure to neglect (i.e., physical or emotional), abuse (i.e., emotional, physical, or sexual), or household dysfunction (i.e., divorce, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, or the incarceration of a relative) prior to adulthood. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with a host of poor behavioral, cognitive, emotional, social, and physical health outcomes across the lifespan. Behavioral health is the sum of both physical and mental health, and it is important to understand how socioeconomic disadvantage affects both areas.

This program is designed for professionals interested in learning about the causes and consequences associated with ACEs and its impact on human health and well-being. Implications for interviewing, screening, and intervention are explored through an integrated behavioral health-ACEs-informed lens. Empirically based research findings are highlighted throughout this program.

Relevant topics reviewed during this program include: 

  • Prenatal trauma
  • Toxic stress
  • Allostatic load
  • Biological despair
  • HPA axis dysfunction
  • Central nervous system problems
  • Attachment problems
  • Self-regulation deficits
  • Chronic diseases
  • Blood sugar dysregulation
  • Gut dysbiosis
  • Sleep issues
  • Cognitive health problems

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and other related topics
  • 2 Describe the causes and consequences of associated with ACEs across the lifespan
  • 3 Describe behavioral health professionals and allied disciplines of study should become ACEs informed
  • 4 Describe interviewing, screening, and intervention options appropriate for clients with elevated ACEs scores through an integrated behavioral health lens
  • 5 Describe up-to-date research findings

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health professionals at any stage of their career who work with individuals affected by early-life adversity. It is particularly relevant for those specializing in child and adolescent mental health, trauma-informed care, behavioral health, or integrated healthcare. Participants may work in a variety of settings, including community mental health clinics, hospitals, schools, and social service agencies.

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

    • Suitable for professionals at all career stages (early-career, mid-career, and experienced practitioners)
    • Open to those seeking to deepen their expertise in trauma-informed and integrated care approaches

  • Practice Setting

    • Psychologists
    • Social Workers
    • Counselors
    • Other mental health professionals supporting children, adolescents, and adults impacted by early-life adversity

Presented By

Jerrod Brown, PhD

Jerrod Brown, PhD, is the Treatment Director for Pathways Counseling Center, Inc., the lead developer of an online Master of Arts degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Forensic Behavioral Health from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS), and the Editor-in-Chief of Forensic Scholars Today (FST) and the Journal of Special Populations (JSP).

View More Programs from this Presenter
Jerrod Brown, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Describe adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and other related topics

  • Describe the causes and consequences of associated with ACEs across the lifespan

  • Describe behavioral health professionals and allied disciplines of study should become ACEs informed

  • Describe interviewing, screening, and intervention options appropriate for clients with elevated ACEs scores through an integrated behavioral health lens

  • Describe up-to-date research findings

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
View Certificates

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.