HR0252 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0252 LRB100 12160 MST 24519 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In 1982, Congress designated June 6-12 as the first National Child Abuse Prevention Week; the following year, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed April to be the first National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a tradition that continues to this day; and

WHEREAS, Child abuse and neglect is a major social problem in Illinois, affecting 16,000 children statewide; in FY 2017, according to the Children's Bureau's Child Maltreatment 2015 Report, an estimated 1,670 children died as a result of abuse or neglect in the United States in 2015; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 100,000 cases of abuse go unreported each year; the impact of abuse on children manifests itself in many ways; the affected children may experience a range of emotional, psychological, and physical problems and trauma as a result of being abused or neglected; and

WHEREAS, There are various organizations and agencies that devote their full-hearted efforts to combating this vicious problem and seek to provide these at-risk children with options that help prevent and relieve afflicted children from the hardship that is child neglect and abuse; and

WHEREAS, Organizations like the Children's Advocacy Centers of Illinois, Children's Home + Aid, and Prevent Child Abuse America have provided children and families the opportunity of healing the wounds left from the harmful results of child neglect and abuse; and

WHEREAS, Established in 1995, the Children's Advocacy Centers of Illinois is a network that coordinates and provides a comprehensive response to child abuse in Illinois through 37 locations in the State, working closely with the Department of Children and Family Services and the Illinois Attorney General's Office; and

WHEREAS, Children's Home + Aid has regional offices in Bloomington, Rockford, Chicago, and Granite City; the organization is a leading child and family service agency in Illinois; each year, it protects, educates, and counsels more than 40,000 children in over 60 counties, youth, and families to overcome the overwhelming obstacles of poverty, abuse, and neglect; and

WHEREAS, Founded in Chicago in 1972, Prevent Child Abuse America works to ensure the healthy development of children nationwide; the organization promotes this mission through a network of chapters in 50 states and nearly 600 Healthy Families America home visiting sites in 39 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Commonwealth of the Marianas, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and Canada; and

WHEREAS, Illinois State law requires that Mandated Reporters, including most professionals in education, health care, law enforcement and social work, report suspected neglect or abuse; and

WHEREAS, Health care professionals and concerned individuals continue to try and raise awareness for and education in emotional child abuse in the community and among parents so as to produce a pro-active solution to the problem of child abuse and neglect; and

WHEREAS, The National Child Abuse Prevention Month is a time to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect, and to promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate the month of April in 2017 and 2018 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage communities throughout the State to share child abuse and neglect prevention awareness strategies and promote prevention across the State of Illinois.