States’ Efforts to Address Adverse Childhood Experiences Are Critical During COVID-19

This commentary explores how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including poverty, food and/or housing insecurity, mental illness, neglect, and child abuse,  contribute to poor health outcomes, and the ways that these are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

States are continuing to implement strategies to identify and measure ACEs and connect children to appropriate services that can mitigate potential negative health outcomes.