The impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)— childhood experiences of abuse, neglect and family dysfunction—on the health and wellbeing of college students nationwide is relatively unknown. And yet, approximately two-thirds of University of Minnesota students experience at least one adverse childhood experience before entering college.

On Friday, Dec. 2, the U of M will host a one-day conference that brings together college administrators, educators, students, public health professionals and researchers to discuss the intersection of ACEs and student mental health, the effect on success as a student and as a graduate and the importance of resiliency. The conference, titled “ACEs and Mental Health: Broadening the Conversation” is held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Coffman Memorial Union Theater.

The conference will promote deeper understanding of ACEs and mental health that can lead to discussion of interventions for colleges and universities, including how to foster resilience to reduce or moderate the impact of ACEs and identifying effective interventions to prevent dropping out of college.

[For more of this story go to http://twin-cities.umn.edu/new...es-among-mn-students]