Building Strong Brains Tennessee Model for the Prevention, Treatment, & Mitigation of ACEs

Jenn Drake-Croft, Director of Child Well-Being with the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth recently joined EndCAN on the Louder than Silence podcast. Drake-Croft discussed the above model, a comprehensive approach to preventing, mitigating, and treating Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs. The CDC-Kaiser ACE Study defines ACEs as potentially traumatic events that occur in a child’s life, including:

1. Physical abuse

2. Emotional abuse

3. Sexual abuse

4. Mother treated violently

5. Substance abuse in the household

6. Mental illness in the household

7. Separation from parents or divorce

8. Incarcerated household member

9. Emotional neglect

10. Physical neglect

The CDC-Kaiser ACE Study found a consistent correlation between ACEs and the development of health issues later in life, including a depression, anxiety, suicide, PTSD, addiction, cancer, and diabetes, among others. Long-term health impacts of child abuse and neglect have led EndCAN and our partners to advocate for a public health approach to eradicating child abuse and neglect in the United States. The Building Better Brains Tennessee model captures the multi-level participation needed from multiple key sectors to enable sustained safety and health for future generations.

– Lyndsay Lack, EndCAN Communications Manager

Learn more:

Building Better Brains Tennessee / ACEs

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