This bill establishes the Office of Resilience within the Department of Children and Families (DCF) in New Jersey, aimed at addressing the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on children. The office will be directed by an executive director who reports to the Commissioner of Children and Families. Its primary responsibilities include raising awareness about ACEs, promoting positive childhood experiences (PCEs), and developing trauma-informed and healing-centered strategies. The office will also create a community-informed virtual hub to support non-governmental organizations focused on these issues and will collaborate with various stakeholders to implement statewide initiatives.

The bill defines key terms such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), healing-centered engagement (HCE), positive childhood experiences (PCEs), and trauma-informed care (TIC). The Office of Resilience will work on several initiatives, including public awareness campaigns, evidence-based tools for resilience, and research collaborations to inform policies related to family reunification and visitation. Additionally, the office is tasked with developing a statewide action plan to make New Jersey a trauma-informed and healing-centered state, and it will provide periodic reports to the Governor and the Legislature on its activities.