Assembly Resolution No. 189
BY: M. of A. Hevesi
MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
April 30, 2021, as Adverse Childhood Experiences
Awareness Day in the State of New York
WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in recognizing days
of awareness of serious public health concerns, in the hopes of
increasing understanding and developing appropriate responses; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 30, 2021, as Adverse
Childhood Experiences Awareness Day in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are the traumatic
events experienced as a child that can cause toxic stress and trauma,
including: emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, physical
neglect, sexual abuse, substance abuse of a family member, mental
illness of a family member, loss of a parent through death or divorce,
incarceration of a parent, and domestic violence; and
WHEREAS, Research demonstrates that ACEs impact a person's health
and overall well-being into adulthood, and can be passed down from
parent to child, and that reducing ACEs in New York State could save
tens of millions of dollars in health care costs related to heart
disease, diabetes, and cancer; and
WHEREAS, In addition to chronic disease, addiction and failure to
succeed in the workplace or in school can often stem from ACEs;
therefore, reducing exposure to ACEs and mitigating trauma will improve
both the well-being of our families and our communities; and
WHEREAS, Identifying ACEs is only the first step, and raising the
awareness of the public, policymakers, and those who regularly come into
contact with children is vital in order to put into place systems that
preempt these challenges and improve outcomes for these children and
their parents; and
WHEREAS, It is vital to understand that ACEs are preventable, and
that for those already impacted by ACEs, it is essential to help build
resilience, which is defined as adaptation in the face of adversity,
trauma, tragedy, threats, or stress; and
WHEREAS, A person can build resilience through use of protective
factors, including parental resilience, social connections, concrete
support in times of need, knowledge of parenting and child development,
and social and emotional competencies of children; as such, communities
and people who come into contact with children and families on a regular
basis can help strengthen that resiliency; and
WHEREAS, New York State can help people build resilience by further
investing in primary prevention; and
WHEREAS, The existence and impacts of ACEs are increasingly
understood to constitute a public health crisis, yet the response is
woefully inadequate to prevent and mitigate them; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 30, 2021, as
Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Day in the State of New York;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.
