Numbers Too Big To Believe (the cost of untreated childhood trauma)

Over the next few months, Kids At Risk Action is working with students from colleges and universities around the nation on the statistics and economic impact of untreated child abuse. The mental health issues and behavior problems of high ACEs children drive much of the violence, desperation, and dysfunction afflicting so many American citizens. These behaviors and impacts have been well documented by the medical community over the last 30 years.

Historically, there has not been much attention to this or information kept or tracked on a large scale. What is needed are longitudinal studies showing the growth of generational child abuse passing through the Child Protection System, the Juvenile Justice System, Schools, Criminal Justice and Prisons. We do know that prison recidivism at nine years in America as stayed at 80% for two decades and that many if not most of those adults came through Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Systems.

The article below is an overview. It uses available data through multiple perspectives and many studies. The costs of untreated generational child abuse are consistently above 12 trillion dollars annually from most large scale approach calculus. Keep in mind, America’s GDP is 23 Trillion dollars. If the numbers below are taken together in almost any calculation, they add up to exceed our national GDP.

KARA’s intent is to better comprehend these numbers when they are broken out from perspectives of Community, Education, Healthcare, Public Safety and Human Services.

Healthy children, make healthy communities. Unhealthy children become unhealthy juveniles, damaged adults and dysfunctional citizens.

Note the link to sources in the numbers following the data and further breakdowns appear in the read more below.

The long-term economic impacts of untreated childhood trauma are substantial and far-reaching: Annual direct medical spending on ACE-associated adult health conditions: $183 billion7 Lifetime economic burden per affected adult: $2.4 million7 Total lifetime economic burden of child maltreatment: $428 billion for substantiated cases5 Chronic illness, emergency psychiatric events, depression, suicide and early death are common among high ACEs children and survivors. Total annual economic burden of ACE-related adult health conditions: $14.1 trillion7 The costs to education of at-risk children impacting classrooms and school performance is a study that needs to be done. Teachers are hard pressed in many classrooms to keep their students safe and the cost to this is lost teaching time. Conservative annual cost of child abuse and neglect: $103.8 billion (in 2007 values)6 Lifetime cost for victims of nonfatal child sexual abuse: $282,734 per female victim2 Lost healthy life-years valued at $13.9 trillion annually7 Higher likelihood of missed work due to health problems, costing employers an estimated $44 billion annually4 Increased likelihood of juvenile arrest (59%) and adult criminal behavior (28%)2 Annual cost to house one inmate in California: over $81,0002 Increased need for special education services6 Fewer years of education completed by victims of child maltreatment3 Perpetuation of growing numbers of abusive families having their own families with continuing cycles of abuse and trauma, leading to ongoing economic burdens4 The economic impact is so significant that preventing ACEs could potentially increase the U.S. economy by $14 trillion1. These figures underscore the critical importance of early intervention and prevention strategies to mitigate the long-term economic consequences of childhood trauma.

 

WHEN YOU Share KARA’s reporting with FRIENDS, INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK and most of all, your State Representative (find them here) change will come a little bit faster. When enough of us become informed and speak up for abused and neglected children, we will improve their lives and our communities!

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The economic impact of high ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) on America’s education system is substantial:

1. Academic performance:
   • Students with 3+ ACEs are 1.53 times more likely not to graduate high school
   • Those with 4+ ACEs are 2.34 times more likely not to graduate compared to those with no ACEs
2. School problems:
   • 52% of students with 3+ ACEs had two or more areas of school problems, compared to 12% of students with no ACEs
   • These problems include academic failure, attendance issues, and behavioral concerns
3. Increased need for services:
   • Higher ACE scores correlate with greater need for special education services
   • This increases costs for schools to provide additional support and resources
4. Long-term economic impact:
   • Poor educational attainment linked to ACEs affects future employment prospects and earning potential
   • This creates a cycle of economic disadvantage that can persist across generations
5. Societal costs:
   • The total annual economic burden of ACE-related adult health conditions is estimated at $14.1 trillion
   • A significant portion of this cost is likely attributable to educational underachievement and its long-term consequences

Data clearly indicates that high ACEs significantly increase the burden on educational resources and contribute to substantial long-term economic costs for society.

EDCUCATION: The chances of a high school dropout leading a productive life are significantly lower compared to high school graduates:

High school dropouts are 47% more likely to be unemployed than graduates4.

Over their lifetime, dropouts earn an average of $375,000 less than high school graduates and about $1,000,000 less than college graduates4.

Dropouts cost the community about $70,000 during their working years, while high school graduates contribute $236,000 to the economy – a difference of over $300,0005.

Dropouts are nearly four times more likely to receive government assistance compared to graduates6.

About one in three dropouts will collect food stamps, compared to 17.3% of graduates5.

In the United States, high school dropouts commit about 75% of crimes4.

Male dropouts aged 18-34 are almost five times more likely to be in custody than high school graduates5.

Dropouts are more than twice as likely to report poor health compared to graduates6.

The average American male dropout’s life expectancy is 14.2 years less than that of a college graduate (10.3 years less for women)6.

 

KIDS AT RISK ACTION / KARA / INVISIBLECHILDREN.ORG

 

 

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