Declare Stuttering Awareness Week

Senate Resolution No. 1063 BY: Senator BAILEY MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 9-15, 2025, as Stuttering Awareness Week in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize official weeks that are set aside to increase awareness of serious health conditions that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 9-15, 2025, as Stuttering Awareness Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Stuttering Awareness Week; and WHEREAS, National Stuttering Awareness Week, observed annually during the second week of May, serves to increase public understanding of stuttering and to promote education, acceptance, and support for those affected by this communication disorder; and WHEREAS, Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by repetition of sounds, syllables, or words, prolongation of sounds, and interruptions in speech; and WHEREAS, It is estimated about one percent of the world's population stutters and roughly three million Americans stutter; and WHEREAS, Children often begin to experience signs of stuttering between the ages of two and five and children who stutter are more likely to experience negative social and educational outcomes than their peers who do not stutter; and WHEREAS, When stuttering persists into adulthood, it can impact an individual's ability to communicate effectively, potentially affecting quality of life, interpersonal relationships, employment opportunities, and career advancement; and WHEREAS, While there is currently no known cure for stuttering, a range of therapeutic approaches and interventions are available to help individuals manage the condition and address the challenges it may present in daily communication; and WHEREAS, Treatment for stuttering provided by speech language pathologists is highly individualized and may include techniques to improve fluency, manage communication-related anxiety, and build functional communication skills; and WHEREAS, Early intervention is generally more effective in addressing stuttering in children, and many schools provide valuable resources and support services to assist with timely diagnosis and treatment; and WHEREAS, Numerous organizations and professionals committed to supporting, educating, and empowering children and adults who stutter-through advocacy, research, and community outreach-maintain a strong presence across New York State; and WHEREAS, Stuttering Awareness Week provides a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the achievements and contributions of people who stutter, and to advance efforts to improve treatment, access to speech therapy, and public acceptance; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 9-15, 2025, as Stuttering Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York.