LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor David A. Paterson to
proclaim October 2009 as Learning Disabilities Awareness Month in the
State of New York

WHEREAS, The Learning Disabilities Association of New York State
(LDANYS) is New York State's only statewide disability advocacy organ-
ization focused on the unique needs of persons with learning disabili-
ties and their families; its mission is to create an environment that
supports, informs and empowers individuals with learning disabilities
throughout their life span; and
WHEREAS, LDANYS seeks to accomplish awareness through advocacy, empow-
erment, education, service and collaborative efforts; and
WHEREAS, One out of seven Americans has a learning disability accord-
ing to the National Institutes of Health, which includes over half of
children in special education; these particular conditions are a major,
yet often underappreciated disability that can have severe impacts on
individuals, our society, and our societal institutions; and
WHEREAS, Learning disabilities impede the ability to store, process or
produce information; people with these conditions have trouble learning
because their minds process words or information differently; in addi-
tion, it can affect the ability to read, write, speak, or calculate
math, as well as impair one's ability to build social relationships; and
WHEREAS, Learning disabilities can occur along with, and be compli-
cated by, problems in attention and the development of social skills; it
has distinct characteristics and should not be confused with mental
retardation, autism, deafness, blindness and behavioral disorders; and
WHEREAS, Early treatment is important and the purpose of Learning
Disabilities Awareness Month is to draw attention to this wide-spread
disability and to focus attention on both the causes and solutions for
meeting the Learning Disabilities challenge; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor David A. Paterson to proclaim October 2009 as
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of New
York, and to the Learning Disabilities Association of New York State.