Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are events or circumstances that may be traumatic to children during the first 18 years of life.
Examples of ACEs are:
If we ensure every child has safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments, even despite adversity we are setting them up to be healthy and resilient adults.
This report presents evidence for HOPE (Health Outcomes of Positive Experiences) based on newly released, compelling data that reinforce the need to promote positive experiences for children and families in order to foster healthy childhood development despite the adversity common in so many families.
Preventing, identifying, and responding to early adversity is one of the most impactful things we can do to improve our nation’s health and well-being. This brief seeks to work through framing challenges and offer guidance on positioning, emphasis, and explanation.
Listen to Dr. Melissa Merrick discuss the CDC’s ACEs/vital signs report and find useful resources such as talking points, sample social media posts, and frequently asked questions.
