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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Child abuse and neglect is a major social problem
3in Illinois, with 34,561 indicted cases affecting children
4statewide in 2018; according to the Children's Bureau's Child
5Maltreatment 2017 Report, an estimated 1,720 children died as
6a result of abuse or neglect in the United States in 2017; and
 
7    WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 100,000 cases of
8abuse go unreported each year; the impact of abuse on children
9manifests itself in various ways; the affected children may
10experience a range of emotional, psychological, and physical
11trauma resulting from abuse or neglect; and
 
12    WHEREAS, There are various organizations and agencies
13devoted to combatting this concern; such groups seek to
14provide preventative solutions and possible exit strategies to
15at-risk youth and victimized children; and
 
16    WHEREAS, In 1982, Congress designated June 6-12 as
17National Child Abuse Prevention Week; the following year,
18President Ronald Reagan proclaimed April to be the first
19National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a tradition that
20continues to this day; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Illinois law requires that mandated reporters,

 

 

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1including most professionals employed within education,
2healthcare, law enforcement, and social work sectors, report
3suspected child neglect or abuse; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Healthcare professionals and concerned private
5parties continue to educate parents and raise awareness of
6child abuse within the State; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Effective preventative measures concerning child
8abuse succeed because of partnerships created between the
9courts, social service agencies, schools, religious
10organizations, law enforcement agencies, businesses, and
11civilian communities; the establishment of an Illinois Child
12Abuse Prevention Month would cohesively promote such
13successful partnerships aiming to eradicate the social ill of
14child abuse and neglect; and
 
15    WHEREAS, National Child Abuse Prevention Month promotes
16the social and emotional well-being of children and families
17and thus serves to acknowledge the importance of community
18cooperation throughout the nation with respect to the
19prevention of child abuse and neglect; the institution of an
20Illinois Child Abuse Prevention Month would functionally
21reiterate such principles within Illinois and would reinforce
22Illinois' commitment to educating residents and helping
23prevent any more children from being subjected to child abuse

 

 

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1and neglect; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
3HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4we declare April 2021 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the
5State of Illinois.