The reason the Anna, Age Eight Institute shares the story of eight-year-old Anna is because an eight-year-old cannot. Anna represents our most vulnerable children amd is a fictional character in the book Anna, Age Eight, based on far too many cases of child fatalities. The book was the catalyst for the creation of the Anna, Age Eight Institute, devoted to ending childhood abuse and neglect. Initial funding for the Institute was spearheaded by New Mexico State Senator Bill Soules, a tireless advocate for children and public education.

The Institute’s 100% New Mexico initiative was designed to go upstream to prevent maltreatment before it occurs by ensuring that every family has access to ten vital services for surviving and thriving. This means building mental health care and other support services to address historical trauma along with all the recent challenges made worse by the pandemic and economic disruptions. 

We know from decades of research focused on the social determinants of health, health equity and adverse childhood experiences, that families are better able to create safe households when community services are accessible. Local communities are working to assess ten vital services so when local organizations say, “We refer families to services,” we know for a fact that such services exist. 

The initiative’s local work building the infrastructure to create trauma-free families, schools and communities is presented in the books Anna, Age Eight: The data-driven prevention of childhood trauma and maltreatment and 100% Community: Ensuring 10 vital services for surviving and thriving, which are both available free of charge for all New Mexicans.