Milwaukee is a vibrant city with a rich history, but it is no secret — especially lately — that we also face many challenges, such as violence, poverty and unemployment.
The root causes of these social problems are complex and open to debate, but there is growing recognition that childhood trauma is one piece of the puzzle. Research has shown that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as abuse, neglect and domestic violence undermine healthy brain development and increase a child’s risk of later problems such as mental illness, substance abuse, dropping out of school and crime. ACEs are among the leading environmental causes of many conditions that result in premature death, including diabetes, cancer, stroke and heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the annual health care cost for adult patients who have a history of early trauma is $124 billion a year.
In Milwaukee, this is a problem we can’t afford to ignore. Nearly one third of our children have had two or more ACEs — enough children to fill Miller Park, with another 6,000 waiting in line.
[For more of this story, written by Mark Mone, go to http://www.jsonline.com/story/...challenges/94095484/]
Comments (0)