The Center for Youth Wellness is part of a national effort to revolutionize pediatric medicine and transform the way society responds to kids exposed to significant adverse childhood experiences and toxic stress.

Founded by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris in 2012, they were created to respond to an urgent public health issue: early adversity harms the developing brains and bodies of children. Now led by Gatanya Arnic, an executive with more than fifteen years of experience in leadership development and healthcare, Dr. Burke Harris’s mission continues through the Center’s current work.

In partnership with Bayview Child Health Center, they screen every young person they see for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that they know can lead to toxic stress and lifelong problems with health, wellness and learning. They heal children’s brains and bodies by piloting treatments for toxic stress and sharing our findings nationally. They prevent toxic stress by raising awareness among those who can make a difference: from parents and pediatricians to policy makers.