Bill > A4427

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Department of Children and Families (department) to develop and implement a program to promote trauma-informed care in order to mitigate the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences and toxic stress in this State. In implementing the program, the department will, at a minimum: a. develop a trauma-informed care toolkit of resources that provide trauma awareness and self-care education for State employees, increase recognition of signs of adverse child experience exposure, and offer effective interventions to mitigate trauma and build resilience, which toolkit is to be shared across all State agencies and organizations for use at service delivery access points; b. promote a Trauma Awareness Month in New Jersey with appropriate events to be held across the State; c. share information with State employees and community partners on educational and professional development opportunities related to adverse childhood experiences and building resilience; d. create a recognition program for individuals who work in the prevention and early intervention-treatment continuum, which may include individuals, divisions within an agency, and community partners, such as schools and school districts; e. identify gaps in available services or service capacity along the prevention and early intervention-treatment continuum for children and their caregivers Statewide; f. develop a comprehensive plan focused on early intervention for children and their caregivers exposed to adverse childhood experiences in order to help prevent, and remedy the impact of, abuse and neglect; and g. coordinate the collection, evaluation, and reporting of adverse childhood experience data in the State. The bill requires each State agency that provides services for children and adults to implement best practices for providing trauma-informed care, which will include, but not be limited to: offering regularly scheduled training to staff to increase their knowledge about the impact of adverse childhood experiences and toxic stress on short-term and long-term health outcomes; promoting strategies to enhance staff resilience and self-care; using trauma-specific language in requests for proposals and in service contracts with providers, when appropriate; and implementing evidence-informed services to prevent and respond to toxic stress and build resilience in children, adults, and communities.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Linda Carter (D)*,  Jessica Ramirez (D)*,  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D)*,  John Allen (D),  Reginald Atkins (D),  Dan Hutchison (D),  Yvonne Lopez (D),  Julio Marenco (D),  Barbara McCann Stamato (D),  Cody Miller (D),  Carmen Morales (D),  Ellen Park (D),  Heather Simmons (D),  Sterley Stanley (D),  Cleopatra Tucker (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee (on 05/20/2024)

Official Document