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. This profile 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. Under the initiative, the Center for Health Care Strategies and colleagues at the Camden Coalition are collaborating with partners across New Jersey, including government agencies and community-based organizations, to identify opportunities to prevent ACEs and promote PCEs through data monitoring and prevention strategies.