Abouts ACEs

An ACE can be any painful experience in childhood, ranging from the death of a parent, abuse, childhood illness, or a parent being incarcerated, to bullying, not getting your emotional needs met, experiencing abandonment, or having a parent with substance abuse, and so much more. ACEs look different for everyone. 

We believe that addressing or preventing the effects of trauma and ACEs is not just the compassionate thing to do, but the smart thing to do, as it is a benefit to all of society in multiple ways. 

Here are the facts:

Individuals with adverse childhood experiences are more likely to repeat grades, have mental health issues in adulthood, and if you have 4 or more ACEs you are 4x more likely to end up in the criminal justice system than people with less ACEs. The infographic below helps us visualize some of the impacts of a high ACE score:

Now, let’s consider the costs of trauma: 

The Human Cost 

When a person is traumatized and suffers from mental health issues, they are unable to live their best life. A society thrives when every member is able to fully participate and contribute their unique gifts and talents. Mental health issues are a barrier to pursuing passions and sometimes even being able to function at all. Whether these issues lead to internal struggles, hospitalization, or even interaction with the criminal justice system, they inhibit an individual's ability to thrive, thereby also hindering societies ability to thrive. 

The Economic Cost 

It can cost up to $44,000 to prosecute one individual, and in New York alone it costs an average of $69,355 per inmate to keep someone in prison. There are many methods of addressing trauma that come at a significantly lower cost, such as adding guidance counselors in schools, training family physicians and social workers, or even posting on blogs or holding fundraisers for resources. 

Not addressing the trauma issue is not only an unethical decision, but it is an unintelligent one. It costs us all dearly. 

So what’s the solution?