ACRC WEBINAR
Patience, Partnerships and Perseverance: A discussion of New York State's journey to advance ACEs education, practice, and legislation
May 11th
11am-12:30pm pm CST
In the wake of COVID and as we all begin to build back better, NYS has taken a bold step forward in passing legislation that will require all mandated reporters to not only be educated in the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), but also to provide ACEs/ trauma informed material, resources and supports to the communities they serve. This webinar will outline New York’s long journey toward the goal of creating a trauma informed state as an illustration of how practitioners, advocates and legislators can collaborate for meaningful and sustained change.
Presenters
David Wallace, LCSW-R, is presently serves as the Executive Director at LaSalle School, in Albany, NY. With over 20 years of experience in child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice, Mr. Wallace is an internationally recognized expert in addressing the needs of youth and families who have experienced sexual abuse and complex trauma. As an active trainer, Mr. Wallace has presented to audiences throughout the US, Canada, and Australia, on the topics of trauma, clinical best practices, and behavioral health policy. Mr. Wallace also serves on a number of state and national associations, boards, and committees, all dedicated to the improvement of treatment services to youth and families with complex mental health and behavioral needs.
Jenn O’Connor is Director of Policy and Advocacy for Prevent Child Abuse New York (PCANY), the only statewide nonprofit solely focused on preventing abuse and neglect. She is also Director of the NYS Home Visiting Coordination Initiative (HVCI).
Andrew Hevesi was first elected to serve the residents of the 28th district in the New York State Assembly in 2005. A lifelong resident of the area, Assemblyman Hevesi has been privileged to represent the constituents of Forest Hills, Rego Park, Ridgewood, Richmond Hill, Middle Village, Glendale, and Kew Gardens. Assemblyman Hevesi served as Chairman of the Assembly Social Services Committee from 2015-2020 and in 2021 he was appointed as the Chair of the Children and Families Committee. With this new chairmanship, Assemblyman Hevesi led one of the most comprehensive budgets to mitigate childhood trauma, expand access to childcare for families in need, and restoring funding to primary prevention services. In 2019, Assemblyman Hevesi wrote the law that marked the first time that "ACEs" as a term and concept has been codified into New York State Statute. This law requires that direct-care domestic violence workers be trained in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) so they can provide more comprehensive trauma-informed services to their clients. Since then he has continued to focus on the crucial need to address childhood trauma, more recently he led the effort requiring all mandated reporters to receive training in recognizing and mitigating ACEs. He will continue to build upon these efforts so that no child is doomed or defined by their ACEs and every child has access to primary prevention and the services they need to grow into successful adults.’’
