The Health Policy Institute of Ohio's 2021 Health Value Dashboard reports that one in five children are exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the state. There are strategies that state policymakers and others can utilize to prevent ACEs and safeguard Ohio children and families who have experienced adversity and trauma.
HPIO's recently released a policy brief: “Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): A strategic approach to prevent ACEs in Ohio” outlines12 strategies that state leaders can use to prevent adverse childhood experiences and aid in trauma mitigation.
HPIO believes tha ACEs are not inevitable, if community leaders, advocates, and policymakers can get out ahead of potential harms to foster resiliency and stability. Exposure to ACEs can cause serious and long-lasting health and economic harms that persist across generations, making prevention key.
"Focusing action on key strategies can have a powerful impact" the report stated. The report, created by HPIO as a part of the ACEs Impact Project, emphasises that efforts must targeted toward those most at risk, including communities of color and rural communities. If prevention efforts are successful, they argue that their impact on the state could be significant.
For example: 36% of depression diagnoses in Ohio could be prevented. Whats, more: Ohioans could save over $1 billion annually in public and private healthcare and related spending if just 10% of the cost attributable to ACEs exposure were avoided.
To read the full brief, please click here.
*About the ACEs Impact Project
Led by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) a nd informed by a multi-sector advisory group, the Ohio ACEs Impact project includes a series of three policy briefs and an online resource page to build on and amplify current efforts to address ACEs in Ohio.
Since August 2020, HPIO has published two policy briefs as part of this project, Adverse Childhood Experiences: Health Impact of ACEs in Ohio and Adverse Childhood Experiences: Economic Impact of ACEs in Ohio. This brief, the third in the series, builds on the previous two briefs by identifying evidence-informed and cost-beneficial strategies to mitigate the impacts of ACEs.
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