Page 16 - 2015 Compass Now

RATIONALE | COMMUNITY AREAS OF NEED COMMUNITY

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• Violence

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study is one • Environment

of the largest investigations ever conducted to assess • Built

associations between childhood maltreatment and • Natural

later-life health and well-being. The study’s findings

suggest that certain experiences (e.g., separation of

parents, abuse, mentally ill household member, etc.) are major risk factors for the leading causes of illness

and death, as well as poor quality of life. Realizing these connections is likely to improve efforts towards

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY prevention and recovery.

An ACEs score is used to assess the amount of stress during childhood. It has been demonstrated that as the
ACEs score increases, the risk for the following health problems rises in a strong and graded fashion:

• Alcoholism and alcohol abuse • Risk of intimate partner violence

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) • Multiple sexual partners

• Depression • Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

• Fetal death • Smoking
• Health-related quality of life • Suicide attempts
• Illicit drug use • Unintended pregnancies
• Ischemic heart disease (HID) • Early initiation of smoking
• Liver disease • Adolescent pregnancy

Many of the items on this list are common occurrences or problems in our communities. With the strong
correlation between the above problems and high ACEs Scores, the COMPASS NOW 2015 Steering
Committee felt that attention should be given to preventing ACEs. The focus on prevention strategies will
decrease adverse experiences in childhood, thereby reducing the need for intervention services in older
children, adolescents, and adults.

Violence

Violence manifests itself in many forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, and cultural
violence.

Between 2009 and 2014, New Horizons Shelter & Outreach Centers, a local organization that provides
shelter for individuals and families who have experienced domestic abuse, increased the number of shelter
nights provided from 3,500 to 8,952. This dramatic increase – almost 156% over six years – is an indicator
of the growing need for such services in our community. The Wisconsin Department of Justice reported 1,104
domestic violence incidents in 2012 for Wisconsin counties in the Great Rivers Region. Based on these
trends, violence was determined to be a Community issue.

Environment

Availability of and access to the natural environment promotes overall well-being, improves cognitive
function, improves recovery from surgery and illness, increases physical activity, and strengthens a sense
of community by drawing people together and enhancing social connections. The natural environment is
one of the greatest assets in the Great Rivers Region. Because of the impact the natural environment has
on the physical, mental, and economic well-being of our region, and the vulnerability of the environment to
degradation through development, pollution, and natural environment was selected as a priority Community
issue.

8 COMPASS NOW 2015