The Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board will lead the efforts through the Montgomery County Childhood Trauma Advisory Council to identify, assess, initiate strategic reform and implementation, and conduct policy evaluation. The Mitigation of Trauma Related Mental Health Conditions Experienced by Black Youth Through Policy Reform is structured according to the Black Youth Mental Health Policy Framework phases. For this initiative, “Black Youth” is defined as “children ages 10-17 years old, who are African American, or from the continent of Africa, the Caribbean, and other parts of the world with African ancestry who are living in the United States.” Black and African American communities experience the greatest health disparities throughout the geographic catchment area at disproportionate rates, as identified by the Prevention Institute’s 2021 community assessment for the development of the Montgomery County Behavioral Health Equity Strategic Action Plan. The disparities of focus are food inequity, income inequality, housing insecurity, violence, substance misuse, and transportation challenges. These six health disparities are characterized by physical and emotional well-being and associated with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Childhood mental illness is a chronic condition that can continue through the lifespan and impact overall health. Children who suffer from anxiety, depression, and mood disorders may have difficulty functioning at home and in school, or forming positive healthy relationships with others. Trauma has been found to be the central issue of mental health problems in children and can have a negative impact on brain development. Children who are exposed to multiple traumatic events or ACEs, are at a higher risk of developing psychological problems and have a higher rates of disease and disability. Reported in the 2019 Montgomery County Community Health Assessment, 22% of Black yout
h grades 7 through 12 reported having 3 or more ACEs. Culturally specific ACEs, such as racial discrimination, are particularly harmful to the mental health of Black youth, as found through emerging evidence. Children who have experienced three or more ACEs are 4.5 times more likely to have ADHD, depression, anxiety, or conduct/behavior disorder than children with 0 ACEs. The most significant impact of addressing ACEs is preventing the root causes of childhood adversity. The need to address ACEs in Ohio is urgent. Early detection and intervention among children is an effective practice to reduce the impact of ACEs on a child's overall health. While approaches have been taken to screen selected populations of children most at-risk for childhood trauma, such as those involved in the child welfare system and juvenile justice system, many children have experienced trauma with no involvement in either system. Addressing ACEs and their impact on the mental well-being of black youth will require a multitiered approach encompassing primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention measures. This project will serve Montgomery County through implementation of the ACEs Aware policy in three identified settings through cross-sector collaboration through the Montgomery County Childhood Trauma Advisory Council. The ADAMHS Board - Health Equity Council whose mission is to actualize equity and inclusion in all policies and practices within the behavioral health structure through education, partnership, and leadership will steer the work through expert consultation with Aurrera Health and community partners. All individuals within the Montgomery County Childhood Trauma Advisory Council are fully committed to embedding efforts to promote the mental wellness of black youth within their organization’s initiatives to sustain system-level change.
