Exactly what are ACES?

ACEsConnection member Teri Barila, who oversees the Children's Resilience Initiative in Walla Walla, WA, with Mark Brown, wrote this essay for the Union-Bulletin in response to a story about the retirement of ACEsConnection member Jim Sporleder from the principalship of Lincoln HIgh School. 

ACEs are prevalent, pervasive and common. In a typical high school setting, 43 percent of students would be experiencing three or more of these negative experiences. It is important to note that Lincoln High School is not unique in its student population. Walla Walla High School, DeSales Catholic High School and Walla Walla Valley Academy also have representative ACE populations — as does every business and every other point of human gathering.

A survey suggests 62 percent of Washingtonians have at least one ACE. ACEs are widespread in our families, our communities and our nation. ACEs are the No. 1 chronic health epidemic and cost us millions of dollars.

ACEs are preventable, and an ACE history is not destiny — we know individuals are capable of changing the trajectory of negative health outcomes. That is why the Children’s Resilience Initiative dedicates its collective energy to building awareness of ACEs and of resilience that can buffer negative impacts of ACEs, leading to nurturance and restorative brain development over a life span.

http://union-bulletin.com/news/2014/jan/07/exactly-what-are-aces/