The Effects of Childhood Trauma Can Last a Lifetime:
The Economic Cost of ACEs and the Value of Prevention
September 25th from 1-2:30pm on Zoom, Dr. Phyllis Holditch Niolon from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will join us and together we will explore the impact of childhood experiences on lifelong health and wellbeing. Dr. Niolon will define adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and positive childhood experiences (PCEs), look at how common they are, and examine their long-term effects. They’ll also highlight the economic costs linked to ACEs, the cost-savings of PCEs, and share evidence-based strategies for preventing ACEs and promoting PCEs in communities.
Following Dr. Niolon’s presentation, SCIMHA’s CEO Kerrie Schnake will share highlights from the Southeastern Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Summit where policy makers and leaders from six Southeastern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee) have joined to explore ways in which investment in infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) across sectors can prevent and address the impact of ACEs and toxic stress, and alleviate the child and adult mental health crisis in each state.
Meet The Presenters:
About Phyllis Holditch Niolon, Ph.D.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Phyllis Holditch Niolon, PhD, is a senior scientist in the office of the Director of Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. In this role, she serves as a senior subject matter expert on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), intimate partner violence (IPV), and teen dating violence (TDV). In this role, she coordinates the ACEs prevention work within DVP and across the Injury center, and oversees CDC’s Congressional appropriation for ACEs. She responds to high-level information requests from the legislative and executive branches of government and from the media relating to the topics of ACEs, IPV and TDV.
Dr. Niolon graduated with High Distinction with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Virginia. She received her masters and doctorate of philosophy in Community Psychology from Georgia State University. After serving as a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Violence Prevention for one year, she joined DVP as a behavioral scientist in 2006. She has published multiple peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters and government documents on the topics of violence prevention.
Kerrie Schnake, MA, IMH-E®
SC Infant Mental Health Association
Kerrie L. Schnake, MA, IMH-E®, is a change agent bringing more than 20 years of experience working in infant and early childhood systems. She serves as the founder and CEO of South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association (SCIMHA) and earned Endorsement as an Infant Mental Health Mentor in Policy as part of the state’s inaugural Endorsement cohort.
Prior to her work with SCIMHA, Kerrie established the state’s Infant/Toddler Specialist Network at the University of South Carolina in partnership with the SC Department of Social Services. Kerrie also created Be Well Care Well, a program designed to support the well-being of child care providers. ZERO TO THREE awarded Kerrie the first IECMH Leadership in Policy award for her systems growth work to support very young children and their families. Kerrie earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from California State University, East Bay and a master's degree in early childhood education with an emphasis on public policy from San Francisco State University.
