ACEs - Adverse Childhood Experiences

Learn more by visiting ACEsAware.org or calling Mariposa County Behavioral Health and Recovery Servi

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) represent a largely unrecognized public health crisis. ACEs Aware seeks to reduce ACEs and toxic stress by half in one generation. With your help, we can reach this goal and help our community thrive.

ACEs can include abuse, neglect, and/or household dysfunction that occurs by age 18.

Toxic stress represents long-term changes to the physiological stress response system resulting from severe, intense, or prolonged adversity, especially in childhood. 

ACEs are associated with an increased chance of negative health outcomes, including 9 of the 10 leading causes of death in the US.

In childhood, ACEs can lead to an increased risk of respiratory infections, asthma, poor growth, obesity, learning and attention disorders, mental health disorders, substance use, high-risk behaviors, and more.

As adults, ACEs still have an impact and can lead to a greater risk of heart disease, diabetes, and premature death.

Individuals with 6 or more ACEs have a life expectancy that is 19 years shorter than individuals with none.

ACEs statistics showing that people with four or more ACEs are at a high risk for medical issues.

As a provider, you can help!

Providers can help better support their clients and receive Medi-Cal payment by completing the ACEs Aware training. To take the training, please visit ACEsAware.org.