Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur during childhood. However, ACEs do not dictate one’s future. Humans, especially children, are resilient. Resilience can be enhanced through positive childhood experiences (PCEs), which include nurturing experiences during childhood, such as supportive relationships with adults and peers.

New Jersey, like many states, is developing a statewide infrastructure for collecting data on ACEs and PCEs. The Camden Coalition’s data team worked with the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) to better understand the prevalence of ACEs and PCEs across the state using national, state, and local 2021 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey (YRBS) data and data from New Jersey state and local agencies.

The resulting data profile from CHCS shares New Jersey’s efforts to understand the impact of ACEs and PCEs across the state through data, with the goal of designing initiatives that promote child health and well-being. The findings can inform other states looking to implement similar data-driven efforts

The profile is a product of Preventing ACEs Across New Jersey: Data to Action, an initiative supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more about this project on the CHCS blog.