Paula Abbott presented a session to Unity Learning Communities to inform our program development. Those attending also felt that this information is critical to how we design our program AND imperative to supporting our community. As a presentation is difficult to replicate in other formats by simply sharing a presentation, we'd like to get this information out to the public in other ways.
All Unity Learning Community Learning providers will have training in ACE, become aware of their own ACE scores and solutions, and learn instructional approaches to support learners.
Unity Learning Community Learning will post a series of information on social media to build awareness. Additional community trainings will also be provided.
Here is the draft of postings.
Introductory Post: ACE stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences. Bad things happen to all of us...it's normal. But when children experience these things between 0-17, they may have long term problems with health, opportunities, and well-being. Even worse, some groups experiences these kinds of traumas more than other groups. It's important to know how we can stop these experiences from ever happening and to help folks heal once they have occurred.
In a series of social media posts and other activities, Unity Learning Communities will focus on sharing important ideas an solutions with our communities.
Learn more about ACES here: https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
1: Adverse Childhood Experiences: https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs
Trauma comes from 3 major sources: The Household, The Community, and The Environment. We aren't "doomed" because we have experienced bad things. But it is important to be aware of where the difficulties arise so we prevent some of them and so we can seek ways to recover.
2. Adverse Childhood Experiences can come from the houshold: https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.
- divorce
- incarcerated family members
- homelessness
- physical neglect
- emotional neglect
- bullying
- maternal depression
- domestic violence
- parental mental illness
- alcoholism and drug abuse
- emotional abuse
- sexual abuse
3. Adverse Childhood Experiences can come from the community: https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs
- discrimination
- violence
- lack of social capital
- lack of social mobility
- substandard schools
- structural racism
- poor water
- poor air quality
- lack of jobs
- substandard wages
- food scarcity
- poor housing quality
- poor housing affordability
- poverty
4. Adverse Childhood Experiences can come from the environment: https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs
- climate crisis
- record heat and drought
- wildfires and smoke
- record storms, flooding, and mudslides
- sea level rise
- natural disasters
- tornadoes and hurricanes
- volcano eruptions and tsunamis
- earthquakes
- pandemics
5. Adverse Childhood Experiences: ACEs are surprisingly common —
64% of the 17,000 in the ACE Study
had one of the 10 ACEs; 12 percent
had four or more. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.
6. Adverse Childhood Experiences: There’s an unmistakable link between
ACEs and adult onset of chronic
disease, mental illness, violence and
being a victim of violence. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.
7. Adverse Childhood Experiences: The more types of childhood adversity,
the direr the consequences. An ACE
score of 4 increases the risk of alcoholism by 700%, attempted suicide by
1200%; it doubles heart disease and
lung cancer rates. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.
8. Adverse Childhood Experiences: ACEs contribute to most of our health
problems, including chronic disease,
financial and social health issues. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.
9. Adverse Childhood Experiences: One type of ACE is no more damaging
than another. An ACE score of 4 that
includes divorce, physical abuse, a
family member depressed or in prison
has the same statistical outcome as
four other types of ACEs. This is why
focusing on preventing just one type
of trauma and/or coping mechanism
isn’t working. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.
10. Adverse Childhood Experiences: Cautions: ACE experiences damages:
- children's brains (neurobiology)
- can cause short and long term health problems
- can be passed down to our children in our genes (epigenetics)
BUT: science shows that our brains are "plastic" and can heal. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.
11. Our brains are plastic. Our bodies want to heal. To reduce stress hormones in
our bodies and brains, we can meditate, exercise, sleep and eat well, have safe
relationships, live and work in safety, ask for help when we need it. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.
12. Do you know your ACE score? Take a quiz here: https://americanspcc.org/take-the-aces-quiz/
13. ACEs are common. About 64% of adults in the United States reported they had experienced at least one type of ACE before age 18. Nearly one in six (17.3%) adults reported they had experienced four or more types of ACEs.7https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
14. Three in four high school students reported experiencing one or more ACEs, and one in five experienced four or more ACEs. ACEs that were most common among high school students were emotional abuse, physical abuse, and living in a household affected by poor mental health or substance abuse.8https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
15. Preventing ACEs could potentially reduce many health conditions. Estimates show up to 1.9 million heart disease cases and 21 million depression cases potentially could have been avoided by preventing ACEs.1 Preventing ACEs could reduce suicide attempts among high school students by as much as 89%, prescription pain medication misuse by as much as 84%, and persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness by as much as 66%.8https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
16. Some people are at greater risk of experiencing one or more ACEs than others. While all children are at risk of ACEs, numerous studies show inequities in such experiences. These inequalities are linked to the historical, social, and economic environments in which some families live. 56ACEs were highest among females, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults, and adults who are unemployed or unable to work.7https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
17. ACEs are costly. ACEs-related health consequences cost an estimated economic burden of $748 billion annually in Bermuda, Canada, and the United States.9https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
18. ACEs can have lasting effects on health and well-being in childhood and life opportunities well into adulthood.10 Life opportunities include things like education and job potential. These experiences can increase the risks of injury, sexually transmitted infections, and involvement in sex trafficking. They can also increase risks for maternal and child health problems including teen pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and fetal death. Also included are a range of chronic diseases and leading causes of death, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and suicide.11112131415161718https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
19. ACEs and associated social determinants of health, such as living in under-resourced or racially segregated neighborhoods, can cause toxic stress. Toxic stress, or extended or prolonged stress, from ACEs can negatively affect children’s brain development, immune system, and stress-response systems. These changes can affect children’s attention, decision-making, and learning.19https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
20. Children growing up with toxic stress may have difficulty forming healthy and stable relationships. They may also have unstable work histories as adults and struggle with finances, job stability, and depression throughout life. 19These effects can also be passed on to their own children.202122 Some children may face further exposure to toxic stress from historical and ongoing traumas. These historical and ongoing traumas include experiences of racial discrimination or the impacts of poverty resulting from limited educational and economic opportunities.16https://youtu.be/8gm-lNpzU4ghttps://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
21. Adverse Childhood Experiences can be prevented and healed. Here's a resource of ideas: https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
22. Nurture and protect kids as much as possible. Be a source of safety and support. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
23. Move and play with your kids. Drum, stretch, throw a ball. Dance. Move inside or outside for fun and togetherness and to ease stress. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
24. Make eye contact. Look at kids (babies too). It says, "I see you. I value you. You matter. You are not alone." https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
25. Say, "sorry." We all lose our patience and make mistakes. Acknowledge it, apologize, and repair the relationships. It's up to us to show kids we are responsible for our moods and our mistakes. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
26. Give 20 second hugs. There's a reason we hug when things are hard. Safe touch is healing. Longer hugs are most helpful. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
27. Slow down or stop. Rest. Take breaks. Take a walk or a few moments to reset or relax. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
28. Hunt for the good. When there has been pain or trauma, we look for danger. We can practice looking for joy and good stuff too. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
29. Be there for kids. It’s hard to see our kids
in pain. We can feel
helpless. Simply being
present with our kids
is doing something. It
shows them we are in
their corner. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
30. HELP KIDS TO
EXPRESS MAD,
SAD & HARD
FEELINGS
Hard stuff happens.
But helping kids find
ways to share, talk,
and process helps.
Our kids learn from us.https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
31. KEEP LEARNING
Understand how
ACEs impact you
and your parenting.https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf
32. Read more about childhood trauma and the supports for healing in this book: https://donnajacksonnakazawa.com/books/childhood-disrupted/
33. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_UnderstandingACEs_EN.pdf
34. Stress Busters: https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_StressBusters_National_EN.pdf
35: Trauma and Parenting: Why is this important?
36: A high ACE score is associated with health problems:
 |
| Source: Paula Abbott |
 |
| https://www.acesaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ACEs-Aware-July-Webinar-Slide-Deck.pdf |
37: Trauma can impair cognitive development. It literally hurts the brain.
 |
| Source: Paula Abbott |
38: When children grow up in an environment where they are exposed on a regular basis to what they perceive as a threat, their nervous system is permanently in a state of fight-flight-or-freeze. They are more likely to struggle with emotional distress and regulation, impulsivity, learning difficulties, as well as physical, mental, and health problems.
Hand Model of the brain. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=912761219957023
39: Healing from trauma is possible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa1lsafvxUQ
40: Trauma isn't about what's wrong with you. It's about what happened to you.
41: 
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