In 2018, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) partnered with the Palix Foundation’s Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI) to launch the Brain Builders Lab (BBL). The aim of the BBL was to move Brain Story science — a body of knowledge linking childhood trauma to later health outcomes — into action. Between 2019 and 2021, participants in the BBL — the Brain Builders — undertook projects in their communities to align policies and practices with this science. The present document aims to showcase the impressive breadth and depth of the Brain Builders’ achievements, and to inspire action among those who have learned the science but are unsure about next steps. It is intended for change makers at all organizational levels working in any sector as long as they are ready to shift how they approach upstream prevention to better meet the needs of those living with mental health and substance use disorders.

This summary includes an introduction to Brain Story science and CCSA’s Brain Builders Lab. It illustrates the top 10 lessons learned about implementing and evaluating Brain Builder projects. The summary is the first of a series, the rest of which illustrate each of these lessons through case studies.