April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, an important time when concerned citizens and organizations host public awareness events and educational activities focused on drawing attention to the urgent need to stop child abuse before it starts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, very few cases of abuse or neglect are reported in the news, and many are not even reported to police or social services. According to 2012 data, 1,640 children died in the U.S. from abuse and neglect, and 686,000 children were found to be victims of maltreatment by child protective services.
A national initiative that we at Montefiore participate in every year is called Pinwheels for Prevention. This is the signature campaign of Prevent Child Abuse America and its state chapters. You may have seen these pinwheels planted in public gardens, in front yards, at community events and in front of city halls. Many people ask, why pinwheels? Pinwheels are the happy and uplifting symbol of the bright future all children deserve. They are the centerpiece of a growing movement committed to stopping child abuse before it starts.
[See: How to Find the Best Mental Health Professional for You.]
The Pinwheels for Prevention movement is based on the belief that we must do more than simply respond to cases of abuse through prosecution and intervention — we need to provide programs and policies that engage communities and create conditions that allow parents to be the kind of parents they want to be. These programs and policies include strategies such as home visiting, parent’s education, mutual self-help support, mental health services and substance abuse treatment.
According to Prevent Child Abuse America, the economic impact of child abuse and neglect is $103.8 billion a year. This includes more than $33 billion in direct costs for foster care services, hospitalization, mental health treatment and law enforcement. Indirect costs of more than $70 billion include loss of productivity, as well as expenditures related to chronic health problems, special education and criminal justice services.
The JE and ZB Butler Child Advocacy Center at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore is dedicated to breaking the cycle of child abuse through medical, psycho-social and mental health services. Since 1984, the Butler Child Advocacy Center has intervened to save and restore the lives of thousands of children and their families. The center provides emergency care and support to young victims of abuse and neglect, crisis counseling to children and families, as well as trauma-focused therapy through the entire process.
[See: 10 Lessons From Empowered Patients.]
While the month of April is a time of increased focus and awareness of efforts to prevent child abuse, we need to work together year-round to recognize stressors that can affect family life and try to ease the burden of families, to build positive futures for our children.
Simple ways we can help our families, friends, neighbors and the community include: offering to babysit free-of-charge so parents can have a break; arranging a support group for new mothers; volunteering as a big brother/big sister to help out kids and allow parents quality time together; and if you’re a supervisor, encouraging and supporting flex time and comp time for your team.
Child abuse is often a taboo topic, but we can all work together and take simple, ordinary actions that make a difference in the lives of children and help ease the stress of parenting.
[See: 11 Simple, Proven Ways to Optimize Your Mental Health.]
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Preventing Child Abuse Before it Occurs originally appeared on usnews.com
