N.Y. SOS Law § 20-D

§ 20-d. Training of direct care workers in adverse childhood\nexperiences. 1. As used in this section:\n (a) "Direct-care employees" means the employees of domestic violence\nshelters, safe dwellings, and domestic violence programs identified by\nthe certifying organization to receive training, which shall include,\nbut not be limited to, the directors and coordinators of such shelters,\ndwellings, and programs, and any individual or employee performing or\nrequired to perform similar responsibilities.\n (b) "Certifying organization" means an organization designated by the\nfederal department of health and human services to coordinate statewide\nimprovements within local communities, social services systems, and\nprogramming regarding the prevention and intervention of domestic\nviolence in New York state.\n (c) "Adverse childhood experiences" or "ACEs" means stressful or\ntraumatic experiences experienced during childhood, which are strongly\nrelated to the development and prevalence of a wide range of health\nproblems throughout a person's lifetime, including, but not limited to\nphysical or sexual abuse; domestic violence; parental mental illness;\nsubstance abuse; and incarceration.\n 2. The office of temporary and disability assistance and the office of\nchildren and family services shall, within amounts appropriated for such\npurpose, contract exclusively with an entity, or with entities in\npartnership, to develop a training program for direct-care employees to\nidentify individuals who have experienced ACEs, develop effective\nstrategies for assisting and interacting with such individuals, and\nlocate programs and services to which such individuals with ACEs may be\nreferred to help build the individual's resilience. Such entity, or\nentities in partnership, shall be experienced in providing\ntrauma-informed, victim-centered training on domestic violence, child\nabuse, and ACEs. Such entity, or entities in partnership, shall be\nresponsible for providing such training to direct-care employees.\n 3. All direct-care employees shall be required to participate in such\ntraining program. Such training shall be provided at no cost to such\nemployees.\n 4. The office of temporary and disability assistance and the office of\nchildren and family services shall, within amounts appropriated for such\npurpose, contract with a certifying organization to provide a\ncertification of completion to each direct-care employee who satisfies\nthe requirements of such training program.\n