Responding to ACEs with Individuals and Families

Nearly 15 percent of Iowans have experienced a significant level of adverse childhood experiences. In addition, Iowa families face increasingly stressful situations that can make it difficult to thrive. 

Additional research shows that

• 15.5% of Iowa's children lived below the poverty line in 2014, a 43.9 percent increase since 2000. 
• 30.8% of families with children are headed by a single parent, which increases the risk for stress and economic hardship. 
• 25% of Iowa youth report challenges that indicate having experienced a high level of stress growing up. 

If you or someone you know have experienced trauma and are seeking support, please connect with 211 for local services and resources in your area. 

 The environment in which an individual lives and the level of stress their ancestors experienced all play a role in whether an individual will likely experience additional ACEs. Preventing ACEs begins with key strategies outlined by the CDC. 

Read the Iowa ACEs Report

Additional Resources

 Personal Wellness
This section may be helpful to individuals who want to learn more about how to take care of their own mental well-being.  These resources focus on the importance of our personal mental well-being through self-awareness, recognition of compassion fatigue, and other resources and reflections.

• 211 information and referral service
• 45 simple self-care practices for a healthy mind, body, and soul
• Self-care after trauma
• Disaster Mental Health
• Compassion fatigue awareness project
• WHO psychological first aid: Guide for field workers
• Self-care for trauma psychotherapists and caregivers: individual, social, and organizational interventions
  
  

Resiliency
The development and strengthening of resiliency can prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mitigate the impact of traumatic stress. These resources describe resilience, discuss promotion of resilience, and provide valuable resources for individuals and communities interested in improving their resiliency.

• Resiliency questionnaires for children
• Protective Factors Survey
• Promoting Resilience – Prevent Child Abuse Iowa
• Sanctuary model
• Dr. Nadine Burke Harris on resiliency
• Resilience Trumps ACEs: Children’s Resilience Initiative, Walla Walla, WA
• Positive Discipline​
• Community Resiliency Cookbook
• Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services: Strengthening hope and resilience everyday (SHARE)
  

For Families
The links in this section are meant to help families foster safe, stable and nurturing relationships. Many of these resources may also be helpful for professionals who work or interact with families.

• 211 information and referral service
• Parenting Resources – Prevent Child Abuse Iowa
• Amazing Brain by Linda Chamberlain
• Circle of Security
• Institute for Safe Families
• “Every parent has what it takes to be a brain builder"
• Positive Discipline
• Tips to Promote social-emotional health of young children from the American Academy of Pediatrics
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network resources for parents and caregivers
• Child Witness to Violence Project
• Iowa Foster and Adoptive Parent Association Trauma Informed Care
• Birth parents with trauma histories and the child welfare system: A guide for parents

For Family  Support Professionals
This section is relevant for family support professionals and other professionals who work with families, particularly families with young children.

• Lemonade for Life project in Iowa
• Adopting ACEs Screening and Assessment in Child Serving Systems, Working Paper
• Circle of Security
• Positive Discipline
• Family Resource Information, Education and Network Development Services (FRIENDS)
• CDC’s Essentials for Childhood Framework: Steps to Create Safe, Stable, and Nurturing Relationships and Environments for all Children
  • One-page overview