Annual Cost of Adverse Childhood Experiences

$103,754,017,492.00

Sources: Cost data: 2007 Economic Impact Study (PCAA). Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (CDC and Kaiser Permanente, see www.ACEstudy.org) The Damaging Consequences of Violence and Trauma (see www.NASMHPD.org) and Trauma and Recovery (J Herman). http://kidslinkcares.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ACE-Chart-Apr-2...

**Child abuse and neglect cost the United States $124 billion - CDC

Key findings:

• The estimated average lifetime cost per victim of nonfatal child maltreatment includes:
  •    
  • $32,648 in childhood health care costs
  •    
  • $10,530 in adult medical costs
  •    
  • $144,360 in productivity losses
  •    
  • $7,728 in child welfare costs
  •    
  • $6,747 in criminal justice costs
  •    
  • $7,999 in special education costs

• The estimated average lifetime cost per death includes:
  •    
  • $14,100 in medical costs
  •    
  • $1,258,800 in productivity losses

http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2012/p0201_child_abuse.html (Feb. 2012)

Prevent Child Abuse America

Child abuse and neglect affects over 1 million children every year. Child abuse and neglect costs our nation $220 million every day....We will pay a staggering $80 BILLION to address child abuse and neglect in 2012. Child abuse and neglect affect us all. Child abuse and neglect are preventable.

http://www.preventchildabuse.org/downloads/PCAA_Cost_Report_2012_Ge... (Apr. 2012)

Cost of Obesity/Form of self-medicating against toxic stress (self-protective: sexually, physically, socially)

“Obesity and its associated health problems have a significant economic impact on the U.S. health care system. In 2008 dollars, medical care costs for obesity were about $147 billion. On average, medical spending for obese people was $1429 (42%) greater than spending for people of normal weight in 2006.”

Obesity is common, serious, and costly. Center for Disease Control, May 2012. http://www.cdc.gov/media/matte/2012/05_weight_of_nation.pdf

“That would mean an increase of $550 billion in total between now and 2030 due to rising cost of obesity. Another way to think about that number is if we could keep obesity rates flat or if they were flattening, we would save $550 billion.”

CDC Weight of the Nation Press Briefing Transcript. Centers for Disease Control, May 7, 2012. http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2012/t0507_weight_nation.html   

Cost of Alcohol Consumption, Excessive/Form of self-medicating against toxic stress (relieves stress)

“Drinking too much, including binge drinking…was responsible for more than $223.5 billion in economic costs in 2006. Over half of these deaths result from injuries that disproportionately involve young people.”

Binge drinking is bigger problem than previously thought, Press Release. Centers for Disease Control, Jan. 10, 2012. http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2012/p0110_binge_drinking.html

Cost of Smoking/Form of self-medicating against toxic stress (reduces anger, increases focus, relieves depression)

“A smoker costs about $2,000 more in medical care than a non-smoker, every year.”

Tips from Former Smokers Share Harsh Realities, Media Statement. Centers for Disease Control, May 24, 2012.

“Cigarette smoking costs the nation $96 billion in direct medical costs and $97 billion in lost productivity each year. More than 8 million Americans are living with a smoking-related disease, and every day more than 1,000 youth under 18 become daily smokers.”

Calls to quitline hit record high after CDC national tobacco ad campaign launch, Press Release. Centers for Disease Control, Apr. 2, 2012 http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2012/p0402_quitline.html

 Cost of leaving an abusive/IPV relationship

“Overall, the annual bill for violence rings in at a total of $13,162 (Canada) per woman across health and non-health sectors, and within public and private domains. This estimate represents the use of health, legal and social services.” http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/235874.php

Study: Varcoe, et al. (2011). Attributing Selected Costs to Intimate Partner Violence in a Sample of Women Who Have Left Abusive Partners: A Social Determinants of Health Approach. Canadian Public Policy 37(3), Sept 2011, p 359-380. http://economics.ca/cgi/jab?journal=cpp&article=v37n3p0359

Cost of Violence Containment

Violence Containment costs the U.S. $2.16 trillion per year.

Report: Violence Containment Spending in the United States. Institute for Economics & Peace. 2012

http://community.nicic.gov/blogs/corrections_headlines/archive/2012...

*Cost of dropouts

"The report puts the collective cost to the nation over the working life of each high school dropout at $292,000."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/education/09dropout.html?_r=0

Child Abuse - Australia

"In 2007 alone, the cost of child abuse to the Australian community is conservatively estimated to be at least $10.7 billion, and is almost certainly far higher."

http://acesconnection.com/profiles/blogs/australia-releases-nationa...

Short link to this page: http://tiny.cc/acecosts

*Recent additions to this post. This post updated  3/7/13 by ce.

**Previous additions to this post of 1/17/13 - ce