Resilience Awareness Month - October 2022PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, there is compelling scientific evidence of a correlation between negative childhood
experiences known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) or "toxic stress"; and
WHEREAS, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) include such experiences as physical, sexual, or verbal
abuse, physical and emotional neglect, witnessing domestic violence, losing a parent to separation or divorce or
having a family member who is: experiencing mental health issues, struggling with substance abuse, and/or
incarcerated; and
WHEREAS, there is significant scientific evidence that sources of "toxic stress" may also include poverty,
experiences of homelessness, and historical, structural, or community experiences of trauma such as racism,
sexism, homophobia, slavery, colonization, community violence, natural disasters; and
WHEREAS, in Kitsap County 62% of residents report having experienced at least 1 ACE, and over 37% of
residents report having 3 or more ACEs, and research indicates the more "toxic stress" a person has experienced,
the greater his/her risk of social, emotional, behavioral, and physical health challenges, leading to school
suspension, increased dropout rates, expulsion, tardiness and absenteeism, bullying, unemployment, decreased
functional work days, homelessness, incarceration, domestic violence, chronic disease, and substance abuse; and
WHEREAS, ACES are at the root of our most costly community issues, associated with 78% of IV drug use,
69% of mental illness, 67% of suicide attempts, 65% of alcoholism, 62% of domestic violence & homelessness, 61%
of adult incarceration, 54% of prescription drug abuse, 26% of cardiovascular disease, 24% of cancer, 17% of
asthma, and 15% of diabetes; and
WHEREAS, resiliency is the antidote and there is compelling scientific evidence that, being able to rely on
relationships to access resources and support in the moment of need, can transform a potentially toxic experience
into a tolerable one; and
WHEREAS, resiliency needs to be nurtured throughout the life -span and is built through supportive
relationships with caring adults and experiences that strengthen our core adaptive skills, including regulating
emotions, managing stress, planning, mental flexibility, decision making, creating/sustaining relationships; and
WHEREAS, Kitsap Strong has a vision of a community where each person flourishes and all parents raise
their children with consistency and nurturance to develop resilience, with the goal to mobilize our community
through dialogue and action to prevent ACEs in the next generation through building individual and community
resilience; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT I, Robert Putaansuu, Mayor of the City of Port Orchard, do
hereby proclaim October 2022 to be the annual observance of
RESILIENCE AWARENESS MONTH
And urge all our residents to become informed about ACES and their impact on development and long-
term health outcomes, to integrate these principles into our everyday work and practice, and tq oL'� 'rV�'ggNpport
the work of Kitsap Strong as a community of hope and healing. �,.•``�F P, poi r�0,f,,f
Signed the 26th day of Septe�nWT'-2021 � O
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Robert Putaansuu, Mayor ,,fy�