The National Picture

Children of different races and ethnicities across the country do not experience the same exposure to ACEs

In the United States, 61% of black children and 51% of Hispanic children have experienced at least one ACE, compared to 40% of white children. In every part of the country, the lowest rate of ACEs was among Asian children In most areas, the population most at risk was black children

Geographic regions also showed different results Compared to the national average of 1 in 10 children experiencing an ACE score of 3 or more, in 5 states Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, New Mexico, and Ohio 1 in 7 children had experienced the same

Florida Stats:

49% of children between birth and 17 reported no ACEs

26% reported 1 ACE

14% reported 2 ACEs and 10% reported 3 or more ACEs

These results are generally in line with national averages

National ACEs Data

Research shows that in the United States:

348 million children are affected by ACEs

1 out of 8 adults have 4 or more ACEs

2 out of 3 adults have 1 or more ACEs

Recent national data shows that at least 38 percent of children in every state have had at least one Adverse Childhood Experience

Nationally, more than 46 percent of US youth 34 million children under age 18 have had at least one ACE, and more than 20 percent have had at least two ACEs

In 2018, JAMA Pediatrics (a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association) published the results of the largest nationally-representative study on ACEs to date. It showed that ACEs are more prevalent in certain communities People with low-income and educational attainment, people of color, and people who identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual had a significantly higher chance of having experienced adversity in childhood

The data from 23 states (214,157 adults) from 20112014 allowed researchers to look at the issue of ACEs as a national public health problem

Recent National-Level Findings:

62% of respondents had at least one ACE 25% reported having 3 or more ACEs

16% had four or more ACEs

*Multicultural participants reported roughly 25 ACEs and bisexual adults reported 31 (both the highest scores reported)

ACEs and the Pandemic

According to the CDC, the prevalences of poor current mental health and past-year suicide attempts among adolescents reporting four or more ACEs during the COVID-19 pandemic were four and 25 times as high as those without ACEs Exposure to specific ACE types (e.g., emotional abuse) were associated with higher prevalences of poor mental health and suicidal behaviors

From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:

Nationally, more than 46 percent of US youth 34 million children under age 18 have had at least one ACE, and more than 20 percent have had at least two

The new analysis includes state-by-state percentages of children with ACEs, ranging from 38.1 percent in Minnesota to 559 percent in Arkansas

The ten states with the highest rates are either in the South or West The newest national and state data, along with an issue brief and maps, can be found at www.cahmi.org.