Recognizing May 2026, as Apraxia Awareness Month in the State of New York

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Addabbo and 62 co-sponsors

Designates May 2026 as Apraxia Awareness Month in New York to raise awareness of Childhood Apraxia of Speech and promote early diagnosis, advocacy, and inclusion.

ADOPTED

Purpose and Intent

Officially designate May 2026 as Apraxia Awareness Month in New York.

Raise public awareness about Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), a neurological speech disorder.

Honor children with CAS, their families, and the professionals (notably Speech-Language Pathologists) who support them.

Encourage awareness, advocacy, and inclusion across communities, workplaces, and schools.

Key Provisions

Declaration by the New York State Legislature recognizing May 2026 as Apraxia Awareness Month.

Emphasis on the nature of CAS: a disorder affecting about 1 in 1,000 children, where understanding language is typically strong but coordinating the movements for speech is challenging.

Highlighted importance of early diagnosis and intervention by Speech-Language Pathologists to improve speech, communication, and subsequent literacy and academic outcomes.

Call for public actions during May (e.g., wearing blue, organizing awareness events) to promote understanding and inclusion and to celebrate the achievements and resilience of children with CAS.

Acknowledgment of the role of families, educators, healthcare providers, policymakers, and communities in advocating for services, research, and resources.

Who/What Is Affected

Primary beneficiaries: Children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech and their families.

Interested stakeholders: Speech-Language Pathologists, pediatric healthcare providers, educators, researchers, and advocacy organizations.

Geographic scope: State of New York; activities and awareness efforts encouraged statewide.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Adoption Process: Resolution recognizing May 2026 as Apraxia Awareness Month.

Reported and Adopted:

Referred to Finance (April 17, 2026).
Reported to Calendar for consideration and adopted (April 21, 2026).

Effective Date: The resolution designates May 2026 for Apraxia Awareness Month; no ongoing statutory changes or funding provisions are specified in the text provided.

Transmission: A copy of the resolution to the Robert Warner Center for Developmental Pediatrics and Rehabilitation at Golisano Children's Hospital of Buffalo.

Notable Details

The resolution cites CAS as a rare, challenging disorder where children often know what they want to say but struggle with articulatory coordination.

Recognizes the importance of early intervention by SLPs to support speech development and prevent secondary academic challenges in reading and writing.

Encourages public participation (wearing blue, events) to foster inclusion and celebrate progress.

Summary

This bill is a symbolic, commemorative resolution that designates May 2026 as Apraxia Awareness Month in New York. It aims to elevate understanding of Childhood Apraxia of Speech, highlight the role of early diagnosis and speech-language pathology, and mobilize community support for affected children and their families through awareness, advocacy, and inclusive practices. It does not appear to create new funding or statutory regulatory changes, but rather seeks to recognize and promote awareness and responsiveness to CAS within the state.

Bill