ACEs: Alcohol abuse in the home

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic experiences that a young person may face before the age of 18. ACEs include multiple forms of abuse, neglect, and a range of household adversities experienced by others in the youth’s home, such as mental health issues, substance misuse, or domestic violence. ACEs are common; by the age of 18, most people will experience at least one ACE. The more ACEs an individual experiences, the higher the likelihood they'll develop health problems, like substance misuse, type 2 diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular problems, and depression. For more information, please read the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention page on ACEs, visit the Minnesota Department of Health ACEs dashboard, or search our site for resources on ACEs.

The MSS asks the following questions about ACEs:

• Have any of your parents or guardians ever been in jail or prison?
• Do you live with anyone who drinks too much alcohol?
• Do you live with anyone who uses illegal drugs or abuses prescription drugs?
• Do you live with anyone who is depressed or has any other mental health issues?
• Does a parent or other adult in your home regularly swear at you, insult you or put you down?
• Has a parent or other adult in your home ever hit, beat, kicked or physically hurt you in any way?
• Have your parents or other adults in your home ever slapped, hit, kicked, punched or beat each other up?
• Has anyone ever pressured, tricked, or forced you to do something sexual or done something sexual to you against your wishes?