January 20, 2025
BY EMAIL
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) Board of Health
1005 Ouellette Avenue
Windsor, ON N9A 4J8
Attention: Joe Bachetti, Chair
Email: jbachettti@wechu.org; eedurance@wechu.org
Re: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Local Policy Advancement
At its Regular Council Meeting held on January 12, 2026, Council supported the enclosed recommendation/resolution report dated November 20, 2025 from Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) Board of Health regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences Local Policy Advancement.
Council accordingly passed the following resolution:
R26-01-015 Moved By Councillor Verbeek
Seconded By Deputy Mayor Shepley
WHEREAS Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are linked to a range of negative health and social outcomes across the lifespan, including chronic disease, mental illness, substance use disorders, and premature mortality; and
WHEREAS Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) contribute to significant health inequities that disproportionately affect children and families facing poverty, racism, housing/food instability, and other systemic barriers; and
WHEREAS national data indicates that 61.6% of the population has experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in their lifetime and locally 19.3% of respondents had experienced at least one childhood maltreatment incident in Windsor-Essex County (Dawdy et. al., 2025)
WHEREAS the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health can endorse comprehensive policy recommendations that will help to address various health sectors in the region by focusing on the prevention and mitigation of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma; and
WHEREAS public health has a legislative mandate to promote health equity, prevent illness, and address the social determinants of health through multi-sectoral collaboration and policy advocacy.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health supports engaging local community partners to co-develop strategies that reduce exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma and strengthen protective factors across the region by encouraging adoption of WECHU’s training resources and policy within partner organizations;
AND FURTHER THAT the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health will support local collaboration with health care providers through the sharing of resources, research/data, best practices and recommends health care providers adopt WECHU’s training resources and policies on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma informed principles within their own professional development and practices;
AND FURTHER THAT the Windsor-Essex County Board of Health calls on municipal, provincial, and federal partners to implement polices and funding that prevent ACEs by addressing poverty, housing insecurity, food access, and family supports;
AND FURTHER THAT, that the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit calls on the provincial government to ensure sustained provincial investment (i.e., funding, training and enhancement of programs and services focused on ACEs) in upstream initiatives that support at risk children, youth and families and help prevent or mitigate adverse childhood experiences, trauma and associated health issues and behaviours;
AND FURTHER THAT, the correspondence from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Local Policy Advancement be received and supported;
AND FURTHER THAT, Council direct Administration to prepare and send a letter of support to Anthony Leardi, MPP, Andrew Dowie, MPP, Lisa Gretzky, MPP, Trevor Jones, MPP, Windsor-Essex County Health Unit Board of Health and our local municipalities.
Carried
I trust you will find this satisfactory. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact the undersigned.
Yours truly,
Joseph Malandruccolo
Director, Legal and Legislative Services/Clerk
jmalandruccolo@essex.ca
Enclosure
cc. Anthony Leardi, MPP Essex Anthony.leardi@pc.ola.org
Andrew Dowie, MPP Windsor-Tecumseh Andrew.dowie@pc.ola.org
Lisa Gretzky, MPP Windsor West lgretzky-qp@ndp.on.ca
Honourable Trevor Jones, MPP Chatham Kent Leamington trevor.jones@pc.ola.org
Town of LaSalle jastrologo@lasalle.ca
Town of Amherstburg clerk@amherstburg.ca
Municipality of Lakeshore clerk@lakeshore.ca
Town of Kingsville atoole@kngsville.ca
Municipality of Leamington clerks@leamington.ca
Town of Tecumseh jalexander@tecumseh.ca