HR0004 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0004 LRB102 03579 MST 13592 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Research over the last two decades in the evolving fields of neuroscience, brain science, molecular biology, public health, genomics, and epigenetics reveals that experiences in the first few years of life build changes into the biology of the human body, including the architecture of the brain; and

WHEREAS, Brain growth occurs rapidly in the first three years of a child's life and accelerates over the next ten years, slowing during the early twenties; a child's brain and body development can be impaired by certain environmental conditions, influencing the person's physical and mental health and social outcomes over their life span; and

WHEREAS, Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are traumatic experiences occurring during childhood that have been found to have a profound effect on a child's developing brain structure and body and may result in poor health during the person's adulthood; ACEs can be physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, including caregiver substance abuse, untreated mental illness or incarceration, domestic violence, or separation or divorce involving household members; and

WHEREAS, Experiencing ACEs as well as experiencing intense and prolonged stress, like community violence, without positive influences or nurturing relationships during childhood can become known as toxic stress, which can further affect a child's brain development and function and lead to long-term cognitive and health impairments; and

WHEREAS, ACEs studies have also found a strong correlation between the number of ACEs and a person's risk for disease and negative health behaviors, including suicide, depression, cancer, stroke, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, smoking, substance abuse, interpersonal violence, obesity, unplanned pregnancies, lower educational achievement, workplace absenteeism, and lower wages; and

WHEREAS, Findings from the Illinois 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) supported by the Illinois ACEs Response Collaborative found that almost 60% of non-institutionalized adult Illinoisans reported having at least one ACE; this number equates to almost 5 million Illinois residents; 14.2% of Illinois adults reported four or more ACEs; and

WHEREAS, BRFSS data also showed that approximately 20% of African American and Hispanic adults in Illinois reported four or more ACEs, compared to 13% of non-Hispanic whites; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois 2013 BRFSS also found that 43% of women and 48% of men reported having one to three ACEs; 15% of women and 13% men reported experiencing four or more ACEs; and

WHEREAS, BRFSS data showed that individuals with between 1 and 3 ACEs reported their physical health was not good 12% more often and their mental health was not good 44% more often than individuals with no ACEs; individuals with more than 4 ACEs reported their physical health was not good 65% more often and their mental health was not good 176% more often than individuals with no ACEs; and

WHEREAS, Individuals with six or more ACEs were found, on average, to live 20 years less than those individuals with zero ACEs; and

WHEREAS, Among those who misuse opioids, the individuals most likely to experience problems with addiction are those who suffered ACEs; general population surveys have estimated that 75% of individuals with substance use disorders have experienced trauma early in their lives; rates are even higher among populations seeking treatment for opioid addiction; and

WHEREAS, ACEs appear to be a root cause of many of our most challenging health and social problems and, without adequate family intervention and support, appear to be transmitted from one generation to the next, further exacerbating the poor outcomes from ACEs and toxic stress; and

WHEREAS, It is less disruptive to well-being, less costly, and more effective to positively influence the development of a child's brain than to intervene and correct negative experiences and outcomes later in life; and

WHEREAS, Trauma-informed care is an approach that can bring greater understanding and more effective ways to prevent, identify, and support and serve children, adults, families, and communities affected by ACEs, trauma, adversity, and toxic stress; and

WHEREAS, Trauma-informed care is not a therapy or an intervention; it is a principle-based, culture change process aimed at recognizing strengths and resiliency and helping people who have experienced trauma to overcome those issues in order to achieve personal and economic well-being; and

WHEREAS, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and many other agencies and organizations provide substantial resources to better engage individuals, community-based organizations, and communities across the United States in order to implement trauma-informed care; and

WHEREAS, A trauma-informed Illinois enhances the ability of children and adults to adapt, cope, and thrive despite difficult experiences and supports the mental well-being of everyone in our state; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we acknowledge that toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences can have significantly negative short-term, long-term, and generational impacts, and that early interventions through trauma-informed care is the most efficient and cost effective way to combat these impacts; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois General Assembly is urged to seek out opportunities to enhance legislation through the science of resiliency and a trauma informed lens and funding around early intervention services for children and families that centers the principles of brain development, the intimate connection between mental and physical health, and the concepts of toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the House Speaker, the Senate President, the House Majority Leader, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, and the Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention.