Hello Bonnie, I think this is a great idea. Maybe you can initiate a movement in the legal community?
Are you familiar with the Circle of Courage Youth Intervention Program? The Circle of Courage Intervention Program was implemented in the Blood Tribe Reserve (Alberta) from 2010 to 2013. Funding was provided through the Safe Communities Innovation Fund (SCIF), Government of Alberta. This is not categorized as an "ACEs program" but you might find some helpful information there regarding "resilience building" programs. On this page there is a contact number for further details from the Kainai Community Corrections Society.
Another interesting downloadable document on education for "at-risk" youth is "Lost Prizes-Manitoban and International Initiatives to Identify and Develop the Talents of At-Risk Populations". The Circle of Courage is described on page 12 more thoroughly. This is strength-based education model used to empower "at-risk youth" but I have used it universally with all youth from k-12 and with adults in ESL classrooms. Here is a quote that might support your ideas and work:
"Brendtro, Brokenleg, and Van Bockern emphasized as well that our “wars” on crime and poverty have set the stage for adversarial, us-versus-them scenarios rather than for cooperative, collaborative problem solving. Along the same lines, they have indicated that biased, blaming d-word labelling of youth (e.g., deprived, deviant, disobedient, disordered, disrespectful, disruptive, and disturbed) causes deficit-based overfocusing on the negatives. The Circle of Courage is a compensatory attempt to create a strength-based model of youth empowerment. Although the Native American traditions and philosophies of child rearing are front and centre, the framework is also grounded solidly in contemporary developmental psychology and research, and in the sensitive observations and insights of early youth workers."
It is often difficult to find the information you need using "ACEs" as a search term (i.e. in Canada). You might also find some helpful resources at Think Upstream for social justice, public policy and the social determinants of health (as these issues are all interconnected). Perhaps you can contribute your research or partner with them? Check out their services. They also have a YouTube Channel-Upstream.
In terms of blogging, as a member you are encouraged to contribute blogs here at ACEs Connection. You can also create your own initiative as a special topics group to get started and then link to your own website if you already have one: )
Both Denise Connors and Elizabeth Perry have done lots of work in Canada regarding ACEs advocacy and they are the community managers for Canadian ACEs and TI Network. I encourage you to reach out to them also for more specific guidance regarding the Canadian landscape for ACEs initiatives. 