State Rep. Douglas Wozniak (R-Shelby Twp.) testifying in front of the House Committee on Families and Veterans. Oct. 21, 2025 | Screenshot
A House Concurrent Resolution put forth by State Rep. Douglas Wozniak (R-Shelby Twp.) would call for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to direct “administrating agencies” to track their efforts to reduce Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs.
“ACEs, including abuse, neglect and household instability, are among the most significant predictors of lifelong health and social outcomes,” Wozniak said in a hearing on the resolution in the House Committee on Families and Veterans. “Nearly 70% of Michigan adults report at least one ACE and one in five report four or more. These experiences are directly linked to higher rates of depression, chronic disease and substance use disorder.”
“Addressing ACEs isn’t just about compassion, it’s about effective governance and long term cost savings,” he continued.
In the hearing, Wozniak also clarified that the resolution, HCR 1, is specifically targeted towards educational agencies in response to a question from Rep. Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn).
“What we’re trying to do with this resolution is establish trust but verify to make sure that the programs are working the way they’re supposed to. Each school should have some type of social community director that can talk about these,” Wozniak explained.
“When we have a conversation with the child, we try and make sure that they’re going to go on the right path,” he added. “That’s why we want to verify exactly how this can be taken care of and not have finger pointing.”
Lisa Farnum, the managing director for the Michigan Association of Health Plans foundation, presented alongside Wozniak at the hearing. She spotlighted the Dearborn veterans treatment courts as a success story of trauma-informed support.
“These results mirror what our ACEs training promotes statewide,” Farnum said. “When systems are trauma-informed and relationship-centered, individuals are more likely to recover, reengage and thrive. Programs like this demonstrate the real world impact of HCR 1’s vision, building a Michigan that leads with resilience, understanding and hope.”
Wozniak also noted that, since the resolution directs the governor to take executive action on the issue, following the 2026 gubernatorial election, he would “contact the current governor at that point and make sure that they’re aware of the resolution and keep going forward with it.”
