Although it is easy to imagine the state of Idaho as being a naturally peaceful, beautiful, and welcoming place, the hard truth is this: we have one of the highest instances of children with ACE scores of 3 or higher in the United States.
In fact, according to a 2014 study published by Child Trends, only 4 states in the nation have a greater prevalence of children with ACE scores of 3 or higher, and the most commonly reported ACEs in Idaho are economic hardship, divorce, alcohol, and mental illness.
Here's how Idaho stacks up against the national data:
- National:
- 0 ACES = 54%
- 1 to 2 ACEs = 35 %
- 3 or More = 11%
- Idaho:
- 0 ACES = 50%
- 1 to 2 ACEs = 35 %
- 3 or More = 15%
For the young people who call Idaho home, these numbers do not represent problems without solutions. There is a lot we can do to make our community just as peaceful, beautiful, and welcoming as we want it to be.