PRINTER'S NO. 2032
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
133
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY KINSEY, HILL-EVANS, SCHLEGEL CULVER, BURGOS,
LONGIETTI, SAPPEY, SANCHEZ, HOWARD, N. NELSON, HOHENSTEIN,
KIRKLAND, SCHMITT, ISAACSON, MADDEN, YOUNG, SCHWEYER AND
ROZZI, AUGUST 12, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, AUGUST 12, 2021
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the harmful effects of adverse childhood experiences
on individuals in this Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, The term "adverse childhood experience" is used to
describe all types of abuse, neglect and other potentially
traumatic experiences that occur during childhood; and
WHEREAS, Adverse childhood experiences can profoundly impact
child development and have been linked to risky health
behaviors, chronic health conditions, poor life outcomes and
early death; and
WHEREAS, The risk for these negative outcomes increases with
each adverse childhood experience; and
WHEREAS, A study on adverse childhood experiences conducted
at Kaiser Permanente from 1995 to 1997 involved more than 17,000
adults who completed confidential questionnaires on their
childhood experiences, current behaviors and current health
status during physical exams; and
WHEREAS, The study asked participants whether they had
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suffered emotional, physical or sexual abuse or emotional or
physical neglect as a child; and
WHEREAS, The study also asked participants if, during
childhood, they had lived in a household where their mother or
stepmother was treated violently, if their parents had ever
separated or divorced or if they lived in a household where
someone abused alcohol or street drugs, had a mental illness or
was incarcerated; and
WHEREAS, Twenty-eight percent of participants reported
experiencing childhood physical abuse, 21% reported experiencing
childhood sexual abuse and 11% reported experiencing childhood
emotional abuse; and
WHEREAS, More than 10% of participants reported experiencing
childhood emotional or physical neglect; and
WHEREAS, Twenty-seven percent of participants reported that,
as a child, they lived in a household where a household member
abused alcohol or street drugs; and
WHEREAS, Almost two-thirds of participants reported at least
one adverse childhood experience, and more than one in five
participants reported having three or more adverse childhood
experiences; and
WHEREAS, It is a matter of debate whether the list of adverse
childhood experiences included in the study at Kaiser Permanente
is exhaustive, since 54% of participants in the study were
female, 75% were white, 46% were over 60 years of age and 39%
had earned at least a college degree; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with one adverse childhood experience
are twice as likely to identify as an alcoholic, 1.8 times more
likely to have attempted suicide and 1.7 times more likely to
have used illicit drugs when compared to individuals with no
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adverse childhood experiences; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with four or more adverse childhood
experiences are 12.2 times more likely to have attempted
suicide, 7.4 times more likely to identify as an alcoholic and
4.7 times more likely to have used illicit drugs when compared
to individuals who have no adverse childhood experiences; and
WHEREAS, Six or more adverse childhood experiences can reduce
life expectancy by nearly 20 years; and
WHEREAS, According to a 2016 Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) survey, more than half of all adults in this
Commonwealth are estimated to have at least one adverse
childhood experience; and
WHEREAS, Of survey respondents, 35% indicated that they
experienced emotional abuse, 16% indicated that they experienced
physical abuse and 11% indicated that they experienced sexual
abuse as a child; and
WHEREAS, Survey respondents between 18 and 29 years of age
were more than three times as likely to indicate that they had
four or more adverse childhood experiences than respondents who
were 65 years of age or older; and
WHEREAS, Nonfatal child maltreatment is estimated to cost the
United States $428 billion annually; and
WHEREAS, The CDC recognizes that some children are more
vulnerable to adverse childhood experiences because of
surrounding socioeconomic conditions, and the public would
benefit from knowledge of how adverse childhood experiences
affect various individuals in a diverse population; and
WHEREAS, The World Health Organization is seeking
international data on adverse childhood experiences; and
WHEREAS, The World Health Organization's Adverse Childhood
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Experiences International Questionnaire expands the list of
adverse childhood experiences to include, among other things,
bullying and gun violence; and
WHEREAS, Many children throughout this Commonwealth are
victims of bullying or gun violence; and
WHEREAS, A child's safe, stable and nurturing relationships
with an adult can be a protective factor against adverse
childhood experiences; and
WHEREAS, Individuals in this Commonwealth can benefit from an
increased awareness of adverse childhood experiences; therefore
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
harmful effects of adverse childhood experiences on individuals
in this Commonwealth.
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