Adverse Childhood Experiences 

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood and can include:

• Experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect
• Witnessing violence in the home or community
• Having a family member attempt or die by suicide

ACEs can also include growing up in a household with:

• Substance misuse
• Mental health problems
• Instability due to poverty, parental separation or household members being in jail or prison

We Can Prevent ACES

Watch this Center For Disease Control Video on how communities can come together to improve outcomes for kids.
Mentoring is one very important piece of the puzzle

ACEs can be prevented. Not everyone who experiences ACEs will go on to have poor health outcomes. Preventing ACEs can help children and adults thrive and possibly:

• Lower risk for health conditions like depression, asthma, cancer, and diabetes in adulthood.
• Reduce risky behaviors like smoking and heavy drinking.
• Improve education and employment potential.
• Stop ACEs from being passed from one generation to the next.

Promoting awareness of ACEs is key. Helping others learn about ACEs can:

• Change how people think about the causes of ACEs and who could help prevent them.
• Shift the focus from individual responsibility to community solutions.
• Reduce shame around getting help with parenting challenges or for substance misuse, depression, or suicidal thoughts.
• Promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments where children live, learn, and play.

*content taken from the CDC website