PRINTER'S NO. 1280
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
115
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY SAPPEY, CERRATO, HILL-EVANS, MADDEN, KAZEEM,
KINSEY, SANCHEZ, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, VENKAT, HADDOCK, KHAN,
T. DAVIS, SCHLOSSBERG, STURLA, CIRESI, FLEMING, BOROWSKI,
HOWARD, NEILSON AND SCOTT, MAY 19, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MAY 19, 2023
A RESOLUTION
Designating May 25, 2023, as "Trauma and Mental Health Awareness
Day" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Trauma is an emotional response to a distressing
event or situation that breaks an individual's sense of security
and impacts the individual mentally or physically, or both; and
WHEREAS, In the 1990s, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and Kaiser Permanente completed a groundbreaking
study on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that showed how
traumatic experiences in childhood, such as neglect, abuse and
observing violence, can increase the likelihood of:
(1) negative health outcomes, such as heart disease,
lung disease and various types of cancer; and
(2) negative social outcomes, such as homelessness,
criminal justice involvement and employment challenges;
and
WHEREAS, Studies done on this topic in the years following
further detailed the negative impact that trauma has on not just
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individuals, but also society as a whole through negative social
outcomes; and
WHEREAS, The ACEs study stressed that the negative impact of
trauma on individuals can be mitigated with proper access to
mental health supports and services; and
WHEREAS, Being trauma-informed means that we acknowledge the
presence of trauma and the role that it can play throughout
someone's life after past traumatic experiences; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania should be a leading state in the effort
to become healing-centered; and
WHEREAS, Former Governor Tom Wolf started the process of
making Pennsylvania a trauma-informed and healing-centered state
by implementing the Trauma-Informed PA Plan and creating the
Office of Advocacy and Reform to expand mental health resources;
and
WHEREAS, By recognizing a day for trauma and mental health
awareness, we embrace values that will make us sensitive to how
traumatic experiences impact an individual's overall well-being
and society as a whole, and we can ensure that those who have
had traumatic experiences receive proper supports and services
to become successful members of society; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate May 25,
2023, as "Trauma and Mental Health Awareness Day" in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives call on all
individuals and leaders in this Commonwealth to:
(1) recognize that trauma exists and has widespread
effects;
(2) recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma;
(3) respond proactively; and
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(4) resist retraumatization so that individuals can
heal.
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