South Iowa News

Clarke County Hospital (CCH) has launched a free resource center for communities that support children with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma to provide videos, websites and articles through the new Clarke County Hospital's Childhood Trauma Resource website, Osceola Sentinel-Tribune reported. 

The website will help assist communities in Osceola, Lamoni, Murray and Leon, including Central Decatur Schools, Murray Schools and Clarke County Schools.

“Adverse Childhood Experiences, or traumas, not only affect the child’s education and health, it also carries issues into adulthood,” Tom Bahls, Communication and Foundation manager for Clarke County Hospital, told the Osceola Sentinel-Tribune. “If ACEs are not managed in childhood, there is twice the likelihood of heart attack and three times the likelihood of substance dependence as the child grows.”

The resource website was launched in August of this year and holds over forty video resources in addition to article and websites for more information.

“Before now, there hasn’t really been a good trauma resources site that’s all-encompassing and free to the public,” Jean Bahls, curriculum director for Clarke Community Schools, told Osceola Sentinel-Tribune. ”Our goal is for this site to be used by other communities, other counties and other states across the country to support children living with trauma.”