One of my ongoing concerns as a legislator has been the health of children and families. Most recently, as a member of the Legislative Council Steering Committee for Supporting Healthy Early Brain Development, I've been working on policies that address the impact of adverse childhood experiences on the long-term health of both our children and our communities. The effects are wide-ranging and touch the lives of every Wisconsin citizen.
An adverse childhood experience can be any traumatic event in a child's life. These might include physical, emotional or sexual abuse; someone in the household with substance abuse issues; a household member who is struggling with mental health issues; violence between adults in the home; or the absence of one or both parents. These traumatic events can occur in the lives of children from all backgrounds, and they are much more frequent than many people believe. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, in the six counties of the 24th Senate District, the rate of adverse childhood experiences ranges from 15 percent to more than 20 percent.
It's bad enough that so many children suffer abuse and neglect. What makes this public health crisis even worse, however, is that the effects of childhood trauma can stay with people well into adulthood. There is a well-documented link between adverse childhood experiences and a range of physical and mental problems including depression; anxiety; alcohol and drug abuse; tobacco use; diabetes; asthma; and cardiovascular disease. These problems can make it harder to be successful at school and work and can increase the demands on social services and the health care system. And because these behaviors can create trauma for other members of the household, childhood trauma is often cyclical, with parents "passing it on" to their own children.
[For more of this story, written by Julie Lassa, go to http://www.stevenspointjournal...ng-effects/19889481/]
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