Declare ACEs Awareness Day

April 30, 2020, 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, 2020, 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, 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, 2020, 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.