By SARAH THOMACK
St. Joseph Post
A school social worker is hoping to partner with community agencies to help those affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Jean West is a St. Joseph School District Social Worker and Trauma Consultant and Trainer. West learned about the ACEs study a few years ago which was conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
West says it researched Adverse Childhood Experiences involving physical, emotional and sexual abuse, mental illness in the household and domestic violence, among others.
“However, there are many other things in life that can obviously cause trauma, but the data reflect those incidents,” West says. “What they found was that your average American, 67% of us would have at least one, but those who have four or more are more likely to have problems with medical or mental health as adults if they have not had sufficient relationship buffers in their life… who helped them through those hard times.”
West says she wants to work with community agencies and others to raise awareness of screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences and help children and adults work toward healing and health.
“When we know what we have been through impacts us, we can learn, what are the ways that we can heal and move toward wellness,” West says. “Really there’s been some amazing research that has shown that when you work in this area, it does lower crime rates, it lowers school dropouts, it lowers teen pregnancy rates, it really has some wonderful impacts on individuals.”
For more information, email Jean West at [email protected] or contact the St. Joseph Health Department at (816) 271-4636.
West also referenced a TED Talk and book by Nadine Burke Harris as having more information. Nadine Burke Harris is a pediatrician who is the current Surgeon General of California. Click here to view the TED Talk.