ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines ways social workers can participate in prevention work. In what has become a world wide effort, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and even more so multiple ACEs, have been tied to risky health behaviors, chronic health conditions, low life potential and early death, underscoring the need for prevention efforts. Beyond arguments for the impact and cost-effectiveness of prevention efforts, efforts to prevent the effects of trauma are in keeping with social work principles calling for empowerment of the disenfranchised because trauma is disproportionately felt by the disenfranchised. Programming in the area of primary or universal prevention tends to focus on community organizing and education, examples of which are discussed below. Community organizing is a central area of practice for social workers including many who focus on the prevention of trauma and its impact. Research indicates that advanced training has a positive impact on preventing the danger of exposure to traumatic events from natural or man-made disasters.
