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About Adverse Childhood Experiences
(ACEs)

our background

The Essie B. & William Earl Glenn Foundation for Better Living (aka Glenn Family Foundation) is a sibling-inspired, family-focused, community-based organization whose overarching goal is to raise awareness of the social determinants of health that impact life outcomes of children, youth and families in the Mississippi Delta.

The Glenn Family Foundation’s executive board created the ACEs Awareness Foundation to help increase the community’s understanding of trauma and the dose effect of toxic adverse childhood experiences on health outcomes, choices and later-life behaviors. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is the acronym used to describe various forms of abuse, neglect and other traumatic experiences.

Findings from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, conducted in the 1990’s by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and Kaiser Permanente, show that experiencing one or more ACEs is linked to many life-long, negative behavioral and physical health and social difficulties.

The ACEs Awareness Foundation works within communities to enlighten individuals of the life-long impact of childhood adversity and trauma, and the importance of addressing its effects on the health, safety and well-being of Mississippi Delta citizens.  Addressing ACEs as a common risk factor, communities can reduce healthcare costs, promote health equity and make a meaningful impact on the quality of life for its citizens.

WHAT IS ACEs?

  1. ACEs are routed in Brain science (neurobiology of toxic stress) — how toxic stress caused by ACEs damages the function and structure of kids’ developing brains
  2. ACEs are adverse childhood experiences that lead to changing how a child responds to stress and damaging their immune systems so profoundly that the effects show up decades later.
  3. ACEs cause much of our burden of chronic disease, most mental illness, and are at the root of most violence.

HOW DO ACEs AFFECT SOCIAL OUTCOMES?

Chronic Health

Staying in red alert status puts a lot of wear and tear on the body. So even if people haven’t smoked or become obese, their risk of heart disease and diabetes increases, as do autoimmune diseases. This is the third part of the ACEs science – what happens to our bodies when we live with toxic stress for years.
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Mental Health

The study concluded that an ACE score of 4 that includes divorce, physical abuse, an incarcerated family member and a depressed family member, has the same statistical health consequences as an ACE score of 4 that includes living with an alcoholic, verbal abuse, emotional neglect and physical neglect.
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Economic Health

The management of chronic diseases associated with ACEs accounts for 86% of healthcare costs in the United States. Research consistently links ACEs to adult-life physical, emotional, and relational issues. ACEs place a major economic burden on society with an estimated total of $124 billion in lifetime financial cost.
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Academic Achievement

On a population level, it doesn't matter which four ACEs a person has; the harmful consequences are the same. The brain cannot distinguish one type of toxic stress from another; it's all toxic stress, with the same impact. The ACE pyramid shows how adverse childhood experiences, or trauma, lead to social, emotional & cognitive impairment. This can lead to adoption of unhealthy behaviors, then to disease, disability and social problems. And then early death.
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An ACE score of 4 that includes divorce, physical abuse, an incarcerated family member and a depressed family member, has the same statistical health consequences as an ACE score of 4 that includes living with an alcoholic, verbal abuse, emotional neglect and physical neglect.

ACEs & Resilience

But with all this bad news about how trauma hurts us, there’s good news. Our brains are plastic. Our bodies want to heal. We know a lot about how to increase individual resilience. To reduce stress hormones in our bodies and brains, we can meditate, exercise, get enough sleep and eat well, have safe relationships (including system relationships with the medical, educational and business communities), live in a safe place, ask for help when we need it and, if necessary, get help from a counselor or therapist. Simple advice. But it works.

We can build resilient families — We know that educating parents about their own ACEs helps them understand their lives and motivates them to learn to become healthy parents to prevent passing their ACEs on to their kids.

Getting Stronger as a community

Safe and Nurturing Relationships

Normailzation Of ACEs

Build Community Connections

Skill Building

Cultural Responsiveness

Instill Hope

RESOURCES

National Childhood Traumatic Stress Network

www.nctsn.org

Information for parents and professionals on a variety of topics related to childhood trauma and recovery.

ACEs Connection

www.acesconnection.com

Information about ACEs and sign-up for a helpful daily email of ACEs related news.

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Agency

www.samhsa.gov

Information about substance abuse and mental health treatment as well as trauma informed care.

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

www.developingchild.harvard.edu

Research led by Dr. Shonkoff focused on early childhood including the effects of toxic stress on childhood development.

Center for Youth Wellness -Dr.Nadine Burke-Harris

www.centerforyouthwellness.org

Information on pediatric medicine, raising public awareness, and transforming the way society responds to ACEs.

Zero to Three

www.zerotothree.org

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