Childhood trauma costs Alaska's workforce millions.

• Author: Sidmore, Pat
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: Healthcare

Alaskans are having an increasingly expansive discussion about childhood trauma and the far-ranging impacts these events have on the economic, health, and social outcomes of individuals as well as the larger issues facing the state. Greater understanding of the biology of trauma is helping expand the understanding of the psychological impact of trauma.

Dr. Christopher Blodgett, PhD is a national expert on childhood trauma and a professor at Washington State University. In November, a group of organizations partnered to host Blodgett for a series of forums in Anchorage, Juneau, and the Mat-Su to highlight the impacts of childhood trauma on schools, communities, and health across the state. Four events were held and all were to full rooms. The forum at the ZJ Loussac library had 140 people in attendance, and more than 60 people watched the live webinar. Blodgett's expertise was made available through the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership with support from the Alaska Mental Health Board, Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Alaska Children's Trust, and thread, Inc.

Child Trauma in Alaska Is Common

Alaska has high rates of childhood trauma. Using methodologies developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Alaska Division of Public Health asked more than ten thousand adults in 2013-2015 if any of the following potentially traumatic events happened to them before their 18th birthday: emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, alcohol or drug abuse in the home, witnessing domestic violence, mental illness in the home, parents separated or divorced, or parent or family member were incarcerated.

In a recent report titled "Economic Costs of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Alaska," released by the Alaska Mental Health Board and Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, it was estimated that nearly $350 million of current annual adult Medicaid expenses exist because of childhood trauma experienced by Alaskan adults.

Two out of three adults in Alaska endured an Adverse Childhood Experience. Some of those adults lead healthy, productive lives; however, for some Alaskans, those experiences have led to chronic diseases, depression, and addiction. These problems translate directly to challenges to a healthy workforce and cost employers and the state significant amounts of money.

Several reasons exist for these different outcomes. Approximately two out of three Alaskans surveyed answered yes to at least one of the adverse...