Child Abuse Prevention Month

APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

AS ACH’S PRESENTING SPONSOR OF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH, RELIANT ASKS EVERYONE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY’S MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION—ITS CHILDREN.

WHAT CONSTITUTES CHILD ABUSE?

More than three-quarters of all child abuse cases stem from neglectful supervision. The remaining cases range from physical and sexual abuse to medical and emotional abuse, and physical neglect.

More than their peers, childhood victims of abuse and neglect are likely to:

develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
to become homeless
to end up in the criminal justice system

NONE OF THESE OUTCOMES ARE ACCEPTABLE

One abused child is one too many. Yet beyond the mental anguish, the trauma, the physical injury, and the scars for life, there’s a cold hard fact: The annual cost of lost worker productivity in America due to child abuse is estimated to exceed $65-billion.

The cost of being denied a normal childhood is immeasurable. Add the cost to society, and child abuse and neglect is unacceptable.

Until we end child abuse, ACH Child and Family Services will do everything possible to make a positive difference in a child’s life. But we can’t do it alone:

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY.

Can we count on you to be an advocate for the victims?

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the landscape is changing

Tarrant County has among the highest numbers of confirmed child abuse and neglect cases of any county in Texas. And yet while fewer children and youth in Texas are entering the foster care system, more are displaying intense, high-level needs. Since 2015, the percentage requiring a therapeutic level of care has doubled, while the highest-risk youth, those suffering from extreme aggression or complex developmental needs—and even at risk of suicide—has tripled.

we must work together

In 2021, The Mental Health Connection (MHC) of Tarrant County issued a report that identified primary areas of concern, including the overall capacity of available providers, the increased need for mental health services, and family instability.

MHC connects organizations to bring long-term changes. MHMR provides shorter-term therapeutic respite for youth experiencing family instability, while ACH offers multiple programs to help high-needs youth heal from their trauma, including The Robert and Jane Ferguson Residential Treatment Center and a Secure Assessment Facility to help those in the child welfare or mental health systems.

Clearly, the issue is beyond the scope of any one agency: Our community must continue to work together to help these youth from becoming separated from families, being disruptive in school, entering the juvenile justice system, or experiencing homelessness.

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