What Families are Dealing With

A powerful correlation exists between childhood trauma (abuse, neglect or a parent with mental illness or substance abuse issue) and brain development and physical and mental health.

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES) revealed a relationship between these negative experiences and health outcomes.

ACEs include adversity, abuse, addiction, abandonment, neglect and family dysfunction.

(White, March 16, 2017. How Facing ACES Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Hopeful)

next >

How This Affects the Families I Work With

Adverse childhood experiences lead to social, emotional and cognitive impairment, which lead to adaptations of health-risk behaviors, leading to:

  • disease,
  • disability,
  • social problems and
  • early death.

next >

What I Can Do to Build on Family Strengths

  • Conduct home visits.
  • Help coordinate care.
  • Connect the family with mental health care, nutrition resources, holistic interventions, medications and education.
  • Locate resources, such as the Center for Youth Wellness which helps prevent, screens and heals ACEs and toxic stress for health.