Adverse Childhood Assessment Essay

The Adverse Childhood Experiences assessment has helped me start difficult conversations with my clients. This assessment tool is readily accessible online and it is also available in several languages including Spanish. Because some of my clients at Catholic Charities are Latino immigrants, I find that it is essential to provide assessments in my clients’ native language. In particular, when I work with clients who have a history of trauma.
In addition, some of the Latino clients that I am currently working with described that they have never seen a therapist or spoken to anyone about their difficult childhood experiences. Clients have also expressed that they do not want others to know about their painful stories because of the fear of being judged. As Latina I can relate to this common sentiment because mental illness is a taboo topic in our community. That is why, when I have implemented the ACE assessment as an intervention I have completed as a form of clinical interview. I find that
According to CDC study, “The ACE Study findings suggest that certain experiences are major risk factors for the leading causes of illness and death as well as poor quality of life in the United States. It is critical to understand how some of the worst health and social problems in our nation can arise as a consequence of adverse childhood experiences,” (CDC). The study demonstrated that there is a correlation between childhood trauma and an increase in health issues in adulthood including a higher rate of substance and alcohol abuse, smoking, and suicide. The research suggests, “that time does not erase the effects of childhood adversities, but may only conceal its impact, even up to 50 to 60 years later,” (Bruskas and Tessin, 2013). As a result, is essential to assess for adverse childhood experiences in order to provide appropriate treatment to