This program introduces the 1998 ACEs study that established a link between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and adult health outcomes. The program will look at brain development research that explains why ACEs have a life-long effect on health and behavior. In scenario-based learning sequences participants will learn how toxic stress can cause protective features of brain development and functioning to become maladaptive through the processes of epigenetic and triggering. This program also includes a survey of projects and programs that have used the knowledge from the ACEs study and brain research to begin to build better communities and stop the spread of ACEs to future generations.
This project was supported with financial assistance as a grant from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.