Adverse Childhood Experiences

THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. 

As mentioned in the previous post, roughly 60% of adults surveyed reported that they had experienced at least 1 ACE. (CDC.gov)

What are the consequences of adverse childhood experiences? 

We know that prolonged trauma can lead to health issues, including heart disease and depression.  

There is a direct correlation between heart disease and diet and many black communities are food deserts.

Let's talk access...

Access to quality food, health care, and education is a major issue for black people.  Our communities seem to be forgotten when it comes to these critical need areas.  

WE NEED access to quality foods to stay healthy. In 2018 the Department of Agriculture identified 88 separate food deserts in Dallas County. 

WE NEED access to quality health care to prevent disease from spreading and reduce the rate of premature death due to otherwise preventable ailments such as diabetes and early heart disease and stroke.  In 2016, Texas ranked second behind Mississippi with 17.9% of adults not having been seen by a doctor in at least 12 months because of cost!💲💲💲 

WE NEED access to quality schools with experienced teachers.  Inner city or urban schools are most often staffed with the least experienced teachers, equipped with limited resources and inadequate training opportunities.  

Lastly, mental health care is an area that traditionally we don't discuss and it is literally killing us. We are suffering mentally from depression, loneliness, drug dependency, domestic violence, grief, anxiety, and so on.  Too long have we been neglected and tossed aside and put into positions where we are being incarcerated in prisons and mental institutions at alarming rates.  

Check out the links on the sidebar for related services.  Please drop your comments and feedback in the comments.  We are in this together, but in order for us to get it together, we will have to work together.  

This is #OurFight!

Some children are at greater risk than others for ACEs. 

Adverse Childhood Experiences

What are adverse childhood experiences or ACEs? 

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov), these are potentially traumatic events that occur in children between the ages of 0 and 17 years. These children often experience violence in their homes, community, abuse, neglect, family incarceration, death, and/or suicide.  Also included are aspects of the child's environment that may undermine safety, stability, and the ability to form healthy relationships.  ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance abuse in adulthood.  ACEs can negatively impact education and job opportunities.  

What can WE do to reverse the negative impact these adverse childhood experiences have on our communities? This is OUR FIGHT and a matter of survival.  It is evident that there is no relief for black people unless WE CREATE the relief ourselves.  Time and time again, we have been misused and abused. Until we RISE UP and TAKE CONTROL of our situations and find solutions for our problems, we will continue to be plagued with dysfunction in our homes, in our children, in our relationships, and in our communities further crippling the vitality of our people.  

What can we do to prevent ACEs? What resources are available to help families overcome and begin healing from these adverse traumas? The CDC reports that ACEs are common. In fact, 1 in 6 adults report that they have experienced at least 4 or more types of ACEs. By preventing these experiences many health conditions could be greatly reduced and/or eliminated.  The CDC reports that 1.9 million cases of heart disease and 21 million cases of depression could potentially avoided by preventing ACEs.