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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 5, 2018 05:24 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Michele Brooks |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Designating April as "Child Abuse Prevention Month" |
| In the near future, I will be introducing a resolution designating April 2018 as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in Pennsylvania. In 2016, 4,416 cases of child abuse were substantiated in the Commonwealth, with 46 children dying as a direct result of abuse and neglect, and 79 children almost losing their lives. These tragic numbers reflect the unsettling reality that thousands of young children in the Commonwealth go to bed hurt, hungry, cold, and alone, or live every day in fear of the very people who should be protecting them. Although the General Assembly has passed measures in recent years to bolster screening for caregivers, improve reporting, stiffen penalties, and fortify investigations, child abuse and neglect still remain a dirty little secret for far too many families in Pennsylvania. Especially as the heroin and opioid epidemic continues to claim the lives of 13 Pennsylvanians every day, the babies and young children of those struggling with addiction are often victimized as well, frequently living unsupervised and unsupported in the most unsafe and unsanitary of conditions. Child abuse crosses all racial, economic and geographic boundaries, and its damaging aftermath can lead to school failure, alcohol and drug abuse, physical and psychological difficulties, and even lifelong disabilities. By enhancing awareness of child abuse, and preventing and ending abusive behaviors and environments, we are committed to breaking the vicious cycle of abuse and creating a safe, nurturing, loving environment for every infant and child in Pennsylvania. Please join me in recognizing and commending those agencies, churches, and individuals who are working to guarantee children a peaceful upbringing, free of abuse and victimization, and in raising awareness and inspiring positive action that will ultimately protect generations to come. Thank you for joining me in support of this resolution and these efforts. |
Introduced as SR323