What's happening
This bill requires direct care workers in domestic violence programs to receive training on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
Why it matters
Addresses the root causes of trauma. By requiring direct care workers to understand adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the bill aims to improve support for domestic violence survivors whose past trauma may influence their current needs and behavior.
Standardizes and professionalizes care. Mandating a formal, certified training program ensures that all direct care staff—regardless of their position—receive consistent, evidence-based education, potentially raising the quality of services across domestic violence programs.
Improves referral and resilience-building. Training will equip staff not just to recognize signs of ACEs but also to connect clients to appropriate services, supporting long-term healing and reducing the likelihood of repeated cycles of violence or trauma.
May impact staff retention and morale. By offering free, trauma-informed training and official certification, the bill could increase job satisfaction, professional development, and retention among direct care workers, benefiting both employees and the people they serve.
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Who cares
Domestic violence shelter, safe dwelling and program employees
Direct-care employees identified for training, including directors and coordinators, would have to complete ACEs training at no cost to them.
Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and Office of Children and Family Services
The agencies would have to contract for training and completion certification within appropriated funding.
Trauma-informed training providers and certifying organizations
Experienced providers would develop and deliver the training, while a federally designated certifying organization would issue completion certificates.
Domestic violence survivors with adverse childhood experiences
The training would prepare direct-care employees to identify their experiences, assist them and refer them to services that help build resilience.
Headline styles
Train Care Workers on Trauma
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A4268
- Ordered to third reading cal.998
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to social services
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Train Direct Care Workers
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Andrew Hevesi
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2659
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 28, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SAVINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to mandating training of direct care workers in adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 20-d to read as follows:
§ 20-d. Training of direct care workers in adverse childhood experiences. 1. As used in this section:
(a) "Direct-care employees" means the employees of domestic violence shelters, safe dwellings, and domestic violence programs identified by the certifying organization to receive training, which shall include, but not be limited to, the directors and coordinators of such shelters, dwellings, and programs, and any individual or employee performing or required to perform similar responsibilities.
(b) "Certifying organization" means an organization designated by the federal department of health and human services to coordinate statewide improvements within local communities, social services systems, and programming regarding the prevention and intervention of domestic violence in New York state.
(c) "Adverse childhood experiences" or "ACEs" means stressful or traumatic experiences experienced during childhood, which are strongly related to the development and prevalence of a wide range of health problems throughout a person's lifetime, including, but not limited to physical or sexual abuse; domestic violence; parental mental illness; substance abuse; and incarceration.
2. The office of temporary and disability assistance and the office of children and family services shall, within amounts appropriated for such purpose, contract exclusively with an entity, or with entities in partnership, to develop a training program for direct-care employees to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01075-01-9
S. 2659 2
identify individuals who have experienced ACEs, develop effective strategies for assisting and interacting with such individuals, and locate programs and services to which such individuals with ACEs may be referred to help build the individual's resilience. Such entity, or entities in partnership, shall be experienced in providing trauma-informed, victim-centered training on domestic violence, child abuse, and ACEs. Such entity, or entities in partnership, shall be responsible for providing such training to direct-care employees.
3. All direct-care employees shall be required to participate in such training program. Such training shall be provided at no cost to such employees.
4. The office of temporary and disability assistance and the office of children and family services shall, within amounts appropriated for such purpose, contract with a certifying organization to provide a certification of completion to each direct-care employee who satisfies the requirements of such training program.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed by the commissioner of the office of children and family services on or before such date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to mandating training of direct care workers in adverse childhood expe- riences (ACEs)
Purpose or general idea of bill
To ensure that all direct-care domestic violence staff undertake consistent state-approved training in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) so that they are better prepared to provide services to clients.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of this bill adds a new section 20-d to the social services law to require the Office of Temporary and Disability Services (OTDA) and the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to contract with an entity, or entities in partnership, to develop and provide training for direct-care employees of domestic violence shelters, safe dwellings, and domestic violence programs regarded ACEs and to contract with a certifying organization to provide a certification to each direct-care employee who satisfies the requirement of such training program; to require all direct-care employees of domestic violence shelters, safe dwellings, and domestic violence programs to participate in such train- ing program; and to provide that such training shall be provided at no cost to employees.
Read the full memo (637 words)
Section 2 is the effective date.
Justification
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) harm children's developing brains so profoundly that the effects show up decades later; they are the cause of chronic disease, most mental illness, and are at the root of most violence.
(i)Nearly 20 years ago, the CDC-Kaiser Permanente ACEs study showed that most people have at least one ACE and that people with four or more are likely to experience long-term and chronic health conditions. ACEs include: physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; physical and emotional neglect; parental mental illness, substance abuse, or incarceration; parental separation or divorce; and domestic violence.
(ii)(ii) ACEs literally change the brain architecture and impair the prefrontal cortex, the home of Executive Function (EF)-our ability to make decisions, self-regulate, set and achieve goals, and plan for the future. With the brain always on high alert, there is no room for these basic skills to develop. Therefore, families experiencing ACEs and diminished EF struggle to succeed in society.
New York State currently offers no consistent ACES training; a mix of non-profits offer various trainings to frontline staff such as social workers. This is not a consistent approach and no curriculum is mandated. The development, adoption, and implementation of an approved training will result in a comprehensive approach, and with certified trained staff across the State.
Domestic violence shelters, safe dwellings, and domestic violence programs are ideal places to pilot this training. Directors and staff see the day-to-day impacts of ACEs on two generations-the mother and child(ren). Yet they may not know exactly what they are seeing, or how to address it appropriately. A consistent training would lay the founda- tion for staff to understand the prevalence of ACEs, learn about efforts to reduce and prevent them, and start to understand the long-term conse- quences of ACEs and the associations between ACES and EF, health risk behaviors, and chronic conditions.
The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) and the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) would approve a nonprofit (or collaborative group of nonprofits) to provide curriculum and training. This entity would have experience in domestic violence, child abuse, and ACEs policy/practice. The New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the organization designated by the federal Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate statewide improvements within local communities, social service systems, and programming regarding the prevention and intervention of domestic violence in New York, will certify completion of this program. There would be no cost to partic- ipants.
Prior legislative history
2018 Session New bill - S.7756-A referred to Social Services
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
To be determined
Effective date
180 days after it shall have become law
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.