ACR 34, as introduced, Cooley. Child Abuse Prevention Month.
This measure would acknowledge the month of April 2013 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and encourage the people of the State of California to work together to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their communities and schools.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Child abuse and neglect continue to pose serious
2threats to our nation’s children; and
3WHEREAS, In 2010, according to the University of California
4at Berkeley, Center for Social Services Research, approximately
589,000 children in California were found to be victims of abuse
6or neglect; and
7WHEREAS, In 2010, according to the United States Department
8of Health and Human Services, 120 children in California died as
9a result of child abuse and neglect; and
10WHEREAS, Children who have been abused or neglected have
11a higher risk of developing various health problems as adults,
12including alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, eating disorders,
13obesity, suicide, and certain chronic diseases; and
P2 1WHEREAS, California’s children deserve to grow up in a safe
2and nurturing environment free from fear, abuse, and neglect; and
3WHEREAS, Prevention of child abuse and neglect depends on
4the involvement of people throughout the community; and
5WHEREAS, Child abuse and neglect have long-term economic
6and societal costs; and
7WHEREAS, Providing community-based prevention services
8to families whose children may be at risk of child abuse or neglect
9is less costly than addressing the emotional and physical damage
10that can result from child abuse and neglect; and
11WHEREAS, Providing community-based prevention services
12to those families can help avoid the costs of protective services,
13law enforcement, the judicial system, foster care, and the treatment
14of adults recovering from abuse as children; and
15WHEREAS, Victims of child abuse, whether the abuse is
16physical, sexual, or emotional, or any combination of these, should
17have access to a safe place to live, appropriate medical care, and
18counseling or mental health services; and
19WHEREAS, In recent years, Prevent Child Abuse America, the
20Child Abuse Prevention Center, and other groups have organized
21Blue Ribbon Campaigns in order to increase public awareness of
22child abuse and to promote ways to prevent child abuse; and
23WHEREAS, Each year, the President of the United States issues
24a proclamation announcing April as National Child Abuse
25Prevention Month; and
26WHEREAS, Blue ribbons are displayed to increase the
27awareness of child abuse and to focus on the positive message of
28preventing child abuse and neglect by supporting families and
29strengthening communities during Child Abuse Prevention Month;
30now, therefore, be it
31Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
32thereof concurring, That the Legislature does hereby acknowledge
33the month of April 2013 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and
34encourages the people of the State of California to work together
35to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their
36communities and schools during that month and throughout the
37year; and be it further
P3 1Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
2of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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