Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) — such as abuse, neglect, exposure to violence, family dysfunction, and racism — can negatively impact a child’s developing brain and body, as well as long-term health and social outcomes. In New Jersey, over 40 percent of children are estimated to have experienced at least one ACE, with 18 percent experiencing multiple ACEs. Given the prevalence of ACEs and their potential life-long consequences, New Jersey is coordinating a statewide strategy to prevent, and help children and families heal from, early adversity and trauma. With support from the NJ ACEs Collaborative, CHCS has convened New Jersey-based cross-sector stakeholders to inform a statewide ACEs action plan.
To tackle this issue, Dave Ellis, the newly appointed executive director of the NJ Office of Resilience, is working to help communities lead the state’s ACEs action plan with support from the NJ Department of Children and Families (DCF) and others. In this blog post, he shares his strategy to address ACEs in New Jersey through community-led efforts and advice for states seeking to do similar work.
Read more here.
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