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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...

Neighborhood conditions associated with children’s cognitive function November 4, 2020 U.S. National Institutes of Health A study published today in JAMA Network Open shows that children from poorer neighborhoods perform less well on a range of cognitive functions, such as verbal ability, reading skills, memory, and attention, and have smaller brain volumes in key cognitive regions compared to those from wealthier neighborhoods. While multiple studies have shown that household socioeconomic...

Murphy signs bill to release thousands of N.J. prisoners early beginning the day after Election Day On October 19th, Governor Murphy signed legislation to free those trapped inside New Jersey jails, prisons, and halfway houses, where they face the worst COVID-19 outbreak of any prison system in the country. We anticipate that over 2,000 men and women within 8 months of their release date will gain relief from Public Health Emergency Credits, and will be released in the first week of...

Share Your COVID-19 Experience Community Conversations, New Jersey’s COVID-19 Storytelling Project, is a collaboration between the NJ YMCA State Alliance and NJ Department of Health to gather NJ residents’ accounts of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic: how we’ve struggled, survived, and how New Jersey should – can – improve. By listening to these accounts, we can better support our State’s healing process and form the building blocks of a more resilient, compassionate, and Healthy New Jersey.

New Jersey is using federal Coronavirus Relief Fund resources to provide up to $25 million to help providers of home health, developmental disability, child welfare, and homeless services remain open and accessible during the pandemic. Human Services and the Department of Children and Families will be reimbursing for the added costs they are incurring due to COVID-19 for essentials such as PPE and enhanced cleaning. Qualifying COVID-related expenditures include: Personal protective...

Mental health issues affect everyone, but Native American people have higher rates of mental health disorders and face more disparities in getting help than White people. This is due to lack of access to health services resulting from institutional discrimination, interpersonal racism, and cultural stigma — which can harm the psyche of people of color in places where they are not the majority. Native Americans have higher rates of substance abuse and depression (PDF) in comparison to other...

TRENTON – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and Interim Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer today announced a new Statewide “Handle With Care” Program to support schoolchildren in New Jersey who have experienced traumatic events. “Handle With Care” (HWC) is designed to promote partnerships between law enforcement and schools to provide a safe and supportive academic environment for children exposed to "adverse childhood experiences,” or ACEs. ACEs, if unaddressed, can lead to problems such...

A June study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that young adults, minorities, and essential workers feel higher levels of anxiety, depression, are increasingly abusing drugs and alcohol, and have suicidal thoughts. For National Depression Screening Day, Mental Health America compiled information on the critical need for depression screenings--during and beyond COVID-19. Read more here.

It's National Mental Illness Awareness Week. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) compiled materials to navigate conversations about mental health and substance use with adolescents. These include an infographic of the signs of mental illness and substance misuse in adolescents, as well as a guide to begin a conversation and motivate an adolescent to get the help they may need. Read more here.

The ACE Impact Team, with strategies modeled by the Philadelphia ACE Task Force, Camden’s Hopeworks, and the Safe and Supportive Schools Commission in Massachusetts, is exploring ways to connect with youth. Specifically, community coaches are engaging with youth to better understand population health, develop leadership skills, and spearhead strategies to make their communities healthier. Read more here.

Dear NJ Resiliency Coalition Community Members, One of my favorite quotes is from Maya Angelou. She said “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” This statement gives permission and grace for us to change our thinking, change policies, and change the world we live in. During my earlier work as an Assistant Commissioner with the Department of Children and Families (NJ DCF), and then in my work at Casey Family Programs, research about adverse childhood...

July 31, 2019, By Sana Hashim, MPH, CPH, CHES, Center for Health Care Strategies. States nationwide increasingly recognize the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on their communities, families, businesses, and workplaces. ACEs include all types of abuse, neglect, and other potentially traumatic experiences for children and youth under the age of 18. These exposures are linked to greater potential for risky health behaviors, chronic health conditions, and early death. With this...