Short and Long Term Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences

Steve Adubato goes on-location to the "Overcoming Childhood Adversity and Trauma: A Healthier Future for NJ Kids" event to talk to Christine Norbut Beyer, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Children & Families, about the short and long-term effects of children exposed to neglect and abuse and how her department deals with children in these situations.

2/9/19 #236

Excerpt:

"Hi, this is Steve Adubato. We're at Morven Museum & Gardens for a conference, an important meeting, on the subject of overcoming childhood adversity and trauma. A whole range of people from across the state, from across the nation, coming to talk about children who are affected by toxic stress, if you will. And two of the experts that are joining us here tonight are two longtime friends who have been with us before, Mary Ann Christopher, Vice President, Community Health at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, and Dave Huber, CFO at Horizon. Good to see both of you. Good to see you as well. Likewise Steve. We were talking, right before we got on the air, the issues we were talking about, adverse childhood, impact of these events, these horrific events, if you will, otherwise known as ACEs, if you will, right? That's right. Why was it... why are they a community health issue? Well they're a community health issue, because many of the issues derive from the community and the neighborhood and the blocks in which children live. It's their home that's an impact, their neighborhoods, their schools. So that's why the solution has to be grassroots and community-based. And what's interesting about this is that... because there are some corporations, foundations that are here... and by the way, there's $2,000,000 being put up of seed money from the Nicholson Foundation, from the Burke Foundation, to deal with this issue. But Horizon has been very much involved in a whole range of public spirited efforts, including supporting those of us in public broadcasting, but why is this an issue? These issues around adverse childhood effects, right? These experiences, if you will. Why is it a Horizon issue? I wouldn't say it's a Horizon issue. It's a society issue. Why is it an issue that Horizon cares deeply about? Why do we care about this? Yeah. We're in the middle of everything, right? We work with the hospitals, the doctors, the members, the community health workers. We got 50% market share. We can make a difference. And we're doing a lot of great things already. Mary Ann can tell you about that. We think we can take ACEs, integrate it into what we're already doing, and make a big difference for a ton of people. And we're happy to do it. We think it's our responsibility. Not alone, but together. We gotta collaborate. It's the only way. Talk about this. The ACEs, as Dave talked about, adverse childhood experiences. Again, let's try to be a little more specific. There..."