By Gabe Salazar and Meryl Schulman, Center for Health Care Strategies, November 13, 2020

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) — such as abuse, neglect, family dysfunction, exposure to violence, and being subjected to prejudice 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, and 18 percent are estimated to have experienced multiple ACEs. Given the prevalence of ACEs and their impact on the life course, 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, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) is convening New Jersey-based cross-sector stakeholders to inform an ACEs action plan for the state.

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. CHCS recently spoke with Dave to better understand his vision for addressing ACEs in New Jersey.

Q: People who work on addressing ACEs often note the “aha” moment that occurs when they first learn about the impact of early childhood adversity on lifelong health and behavior. Can you describe that moment for you?

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