Mass Murderers/School Shooters

Thank you for the work that you are doing, David. We all have a part to contribute to this growing movement, and I am grateful that you are involved. 

When events of the type of the shooting in Florida occur, it's useful to remember those many parts. The ACE Study measured 10 types of ACEs, half of those were family dysfunction; others can occur outside the family and have devastating consequences, as we know.

Since the original ACE Study, other ACE surveys have added other types of ACEs, including environmental (witnessing violence outside the home) and systemic (involvement with the foster care system). Others are adding larger policy issues such as living wages and paid parental leave. That's because if the minimum wage is so low and rents/housing prices are so high that parents need to work two jobs each just to put food on the table, that doesn't bode well for parents having the basic time and energy required to raise their children to be happy, thriving people.

This requires a community approach. 

Most parents would very much like to raise healthy, happy children. We need to make sure that we're creating the conditions for that to occur, including stable jobs, affordable rents, time for family, safe places to live and play, and help when people need it, such as substance abuse treatment and robust and responsive healthy care.