Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences

For more information on The VDH Injury and Violence Prevention Program funded programs addressing ACEs, please visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/injury-and-violence-prevention/funded-programs/

Our program understands the importance of using the best available evidence to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences, reduce further harm of individuals from other forms of injuries and violence, and increase Positive Childhood Experiences.

To assist our program with the best available evidence, our program relies on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention technical package: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences: Leveraging the Next Available Evidence: A Technical Package. for Policy, Norm, and Programmatic Activities. as its guide. We focus on individuals, families, relationships, and communities to broaden societal change.

When children experience negative events in their early childhood, these events can affect their health and wellbeing as children and when they grow up. These negative traumatic events are called adverse childhood experiences. Better known as ACEs, these event occurred during 0-17 years of life.

Many things contribute to ACEs, including personal traits and experiences, parents and caregivers, the family environment, and the community that one lives in or is exposed to.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides the following only as limited examples of ACES.

experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect
witnessing violence in the home or community
having a family member attempt or die by suicide
growing up in a household with substance use problems, mental health problems, instability due to parental separation or household members being in jail or prison
food insecurity and lack of housing

ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, substance use problems, and negative experiences with jobs and education later in life.

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