BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | ACR 139| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIRD READING Bill No: ACR 139 Author: Thurmond (D), et al. Amended: 4/4/16 in Assembly Vote: 21 ASSEMBLY FLOOR: Read and adopted, 4/4/16 SUBJECT: Child Abuse Prevention Month SOURCE: The Child Abuse Prevention Center DIGEST: This resolution acknowledges the month of April 2016 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and encourages the people of the State of California to work together to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their communities and schools. ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings: 1)Child abuse and neglect continue to pose serious threats to our nation's children. According to the State Department of Public Health, 85 children in California died as a result of child abuse and neglect in 2012. 2)Children who have been abused or neglected have a higher risk of developing various health problems as adults, including alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, eating disorders, obesity, suicide, and certain chronic diseases. 3)Prevention of child abuse and neglect depends on the ACR 139 Page 2 involvement of people throughout the community. Providing community-based prevention services to families whose children may be at risk of child abuse or neglect is less costly than addressing the emotional and physical damage that can result from child abuse and neglect, and can help avoid the costs of protective services, law enforcement, the judicial system, foster care, and the treatment of adults recovering from abuse as children. 4)California's children deserve to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment free from fear, abuse, and neglect. Victims of child abuse, whether the abuse is physical, sexual, or emotional, or any combination of these, should have access to a safe place to live, appropriate medical care, and counseling or mental health services. 5)In recent years, Prevent Child Abuse America, the Child Abuse Prevention Center, and other groups have organized Blue Ribbon Campaigns to increase public awareness of child abuse and to promote ways to prevent child abuse. Pinwheels are displayed to increase the awareness of child abuse and to focus on the positive message of preventing child abuse and neglect by supporting families and strengthening communities during Child Abuse Prevention Month. This resolution acknowledges the month of April 2016 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and encourages the people of the State of California to work together to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their communities and schools during that month and throughout the year. FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.:NoLocal: No SUPPORT: (Verified4/13/16) ACR 139 Page 3 The Child Abuse Prevention Center (source) California State Association of Counties OPPOSITION: (Verified4/13/16) None received Prepared by: Karen Chow / SFA / (916) 651-1520 4/13/16 16:16:42 **** END ****