BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | ACR 155|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: ACR 155
Author: Bocanegra (D), et al.
Amended: 8/11/14 in Assembly
Vote: 21
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Read and adopted, 8/11/14
SUBJECT : Childhood brain development: adverse experiences:
toxic stress
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution urges the Governor to identify
evidence-based solutions to reduce childrens exposure to adverse
childhood experiences, address the impacts of those experiences,
and invest in preventive health care and mental health and
wellness interventions.
ANALYSIS : This resolution makes the following legislative
findings:
1. Research over the last two decades in the evolving fields of
neuroscience, 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
that, in turn, influence the person's physical and mental
health over his/her lifetime.
2. Adverse childhood experiences are traumatic experiences that
occur during childhood, including physical, emotional or
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sexual abuse, physical and emotional neglect, household
dysfunction, including substance abuse, untreated mental
illness or incarceration of a household member, domestic
violence, or separation or divorce involving household
members, that can have a profound effect on a child's
developing brain and body and can result in poor health
during the person's adulthood.
3. The emerging science and research on toxic stress and adverse
childhood experiences evidence a growing public health crisis
for the state with implications for the state's educational,
juvenile justice, criminal justice, and public health
systems.
4. The Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative found that
neurobiological, epigenetics, and psychological studies have
shown that traumatic experiences in childhood and adolescence
can diminish concentration, memory, and the organizational
and language abilities students need to succeed in school,
thereby negatively impacting a student's academic
performance, classroom behavior, and the ability to form
relationships.
5. A critical factor in buffering children from the effects of
toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences is the
existence of supportive, stable relationships between
children and their families, caregivers, and other important
adults in their lives.
This resolution urges the Governor to identify evidence-based
solutions to reduce children's exposure to adverse childhood
experiences, address the impacts of those experiences, invest in
preventive health care and mental health and wellness
interventions and to consider the principles of brain
development, the intimate connection between mental and physical
health, the concepts of toxic stress, adverse childhood
experiences, buffering relationships, and the roles of early
intervention and investment in children as important strategies.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/13/14)
American Academy of Pediatrics, District IX
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American Civil Liberties Union of California
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
California Correctional Peace Officers Association
California Family Resource Association
California Mental Health Planning Council
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
California Protective Parents Association
California School-Based Health Alliance
Californians for Safety and Justice
Center for Youth Wellness
Children NOW
Coleman Advocates for Children & Youth
Crittenton Services for Children and Families
David Lynch Foundation
First 5 Alameda County
First 5 Association of California
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay
Area
National Compadres Network
PolicyLink
Public Advocates
Public Counsel
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
The Child Abuse Prevention Center
Youth Alive!
Zero to Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and
Families
JL:d 8/13/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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