Bill Text: NY J01074 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Mary Cariola Children's Center on May 9, 2019

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-04-30 - ADOPTED [J01074 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-J01074-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 1074

BY: Senator HELMING

        COMMEMORATING the 70th Anniversary of Mary Cariola
        Children's Center on May 9, 2019

  WHEREAS,  It  is the sense of this Legislative Body that the quality
and character of life in this great Empire State is greatly enriched  by
the  faithful  and  diligent  work of those organizations which serve to
meet the special needs of the community and its citizenry; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
commemorate the 70th Anniversary of Mary Cariola Children's  Center,  to
be  celebrated  with  an  event  on Thursday, May 9, 2019, at The Strong
Museum of Play in Rochester, New York; and

  WHEREAS, For seven  decades,  Mary  Cariola  Children's  Center  has
served   people   with   complex   disabilities   through  personalized,
interdisciplinary, evidence-based education  and  life  skill  solutions
which inspire and empower them and their families; and

  WHEREAS,  Born  in  1896,  Mary  Cariola  and her family moved to an
Italian-American community in Rochester when  she  was  a  child;  as  a
teenager,  she  served  as an interpreter and advocate for her immigrant
neighbors who had difficulty communicating in their  new  culture;  this
was just the beginning of her fight for other people's rights; and

  WHEREAS,   Later,   Mary  Cariola  worked  as  a  deputy  employment
certification officer for the Rochester Board of Education, and then  as
a  caseworker  for  the  Society  for Prevention of Cruelty to children,
where  she  observed  the  hardships  of  discrimination,  poverty   and
unacceptable treatment of children; and

  WHEREAS,  In the 1940s, children with disabilities were often placed
in institutions; Mary Cariola's nephew, Butchie, was  born  with  severe
developmental  and  physical disabilities, and she could not imagine him
being institutionalized; and

  WHEREAS, Mary Cariola took the initiative and joined forces with six
other families and business leaders, to raise the necessary  funds,  and
founded  The  Day  Care  Center  for  Handicapped  Children, designed to
provide social, recreational and vocational experiences for children not
eligible for public school, within the limits  of  their  capacity;  the
Center opened in 1949 with eight students; and

  WHEREAS,  In  1977,  the  Center was renamed Mary Cariola Children's
Center, 10 years before her death, to honor her dedication  to  offering
the  highest  quality  innovative  educational  programs and small group
homes for individuals with complex disabilities; and

  WHEREAS, Mary Cariola Children's Center was the first in the  nation
to  open  a  group home for children and youth with significant behavior
management needs, and the first to  offer  a  sensory  room  which  uses
special lighting, music, and objects used as a therapy for children with
limited communication skills; and


  WHEREAS,  Today,  Mary  Cariola  Children's  Center  serves over 450
individuals in both preschool and school  age  programs  on  two  school
campuses;  students  come  from  53  different  school  districts and 11
counties; and

  WHEREAS,  Students  and  families  are  offered  numerous   services
including  nursing; OT/PT; behavior, music, Snoezelen, vision and speech
therapies;   Telemedicine;    assistive    technology,    psychological,
psychiatric,   neurology   and   nutrition  consults;  adapted  physical
education; transition programs, social work, Dental Desensitization, and
URMC Development and Behavioral Pediatrics; and

  WHEREAS, The residential program provides 24-hour care in  a  family
setting to small groups of children and youth with multiple disabilities
and  behavior management needs; the program's six residential facilities
located throughout Monroe County serve 44 residents, with six to nine in
each home; and

  WHEREAS, The success of Mary Cariola Children's Center is in  direct
correlation  to  the  efforts  of  its  staff, whose involvement is, and
always has been, characterized by an impressive commitment, an unbridled
enthusiasm,  and  an  uncompromising  standard  of  excellence  in   all
endeavors on behalf of the institution and the community it serves; and

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  custom  of  this  Legislative Body that those
organizations  which  unselfishly  devote  their  energy,   talent   and
thoughtful  care  on behalf of improving the quality and dignity of life
in the community, are worthy and due full  praise  and  recognition  for
their noble and dedicated efforts; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Mary Cariola  Children's  Center
on May 9, 2019; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Mary Cariola Children's Center.