BILL NUMBER: S7756A

SPONSOR: SAVINO
 
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.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION:

Effective date changed from 90 days after enactment to 180 days after
enactment; authorization provided for agency to add, amend or repeal any
rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of the act on or
before 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 condi-
tions. ACEs include: physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; physical and
emotional neglect; parental mental illness, substance abuse, or incar-
ceration; parental separation or divorce; and domestic violence.(ii)

ACEs literally change the brain architecture and impair the prefrontal
cortex, the home of Executive Function (EF)-our ability to make deci-
sions, 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:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
180 days after it shall have become law