Throughout her childhood, Delena Meyer encountered social and human services from every angle.

She’s the daughter of an addict who died from AIDS. She went through child protective services and the foster care system. She was a teen mom who gave up a child for adoption. She married, and divorced, young. She was a single mom. And she struggled with emotional issues.

She was on the “stereotypical trajectory of a troubled life,” she said.

But eight years ago, Meyer learned that she wasn’t the only one touched by Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs. Far from it.

Research shows 62 percent of adults have at least one such traumatic experience. About 42 percent of Washington high schoolers have three or more.

“It’s not just some of us,” Meyer said. “It’s all of us. It’s just a matter of flavor and degree.”

Clark County Public Health has taken notice of the impact of ACEs and made it a top priority. Meyer has joined the department’s efforts, becoming a part of the ACEs Action Alliance dedicated to creating a trauma-informed, resilient community.

To continue reading this article by Marissa Harshman, go to: http://www.columbian.com/news/...ty-health-officials/