Early Childhood Well-Being/ACEs
Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences
TCCY has intensified its advocacy of and collaboration for Early Child Well-Being/Adverse Childhood Experiences. This work, including training, collaboration and advocacy on a number of levels, is being overseen by Jennifer Drake Croft.
The early years of life matter because the basic architecture of the human brain is constructed through an ongoing process that begins before birth and continues into adulthood. Early experiences literally shape how the brain gets built, establishing either a sturdy or a fragile foundation for all of the development and behavior that follows. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) harm the developing brains and bodies of young children and lead to poor mental and physical health across the lifespan. Preventing and mitigating these experiences benefit all Tennesseans by reducing crime, violence, substance abuse, unhealthy behavior and physical disease.
(Infographic Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, rwjf.org/aces)
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)/Trauma/Toxic Stress
- TCCY Presentation on ACEs and Early Childhood Development, October 2015;
- Tennessee Adverse Childhood Experiences Report;
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Early Life Events That Can Damage Our Adult Health, from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation;
- ACEs Connection Network, a social network dedicated to expanding understanding and responses to ACEs;
- Ted Talk on Adverse Childhood Experiences by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris;
- Truth About ACEs: Talking Points;
- What Does the ACEs Score Mean? a presentation by Dr. Robert Anda, one of the original ACEs researchers;
- Family Resources and Trauma Informed Care, Dr. Anda on ACEs as a foundation for system integration;
- Importance of ACEs is a Recent Discovery: Adversity is Not Destiny, But It is Risk , Dr. Anda;
- Building Resilience, video of Dr. Anda from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation;
- Alberta Family Wellness Initiative: How Brains are Built: The Core Story of Brain Development;
- Building Resilience, with Dr. Nadine Burke Harris.
Brain Development/Early Childhood Resources
- The Frameworks Children’s Mental Health Tennessee Toolkit;
- The Alberta Family Wellness Initiative;
- The Harvard Center on the Developing Child;
- Tennessee Child Care Resource and Referral;
- Urban Child Institute, Memphis resource for providers and families;
- Vroom, brain-development information for parents and caregivers.