NCJ Number
233230
Date Published
2010
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This report presents findings from an August 2009 environmental scan of State public health agencies' (SPHAs') involvement in child maltreatment prevention efforts, whose purpose was to understand and identify the work that SPHAs are already doing in order to enhance family resiliency, foster healthy child development, and prevent child maltreatment.
Abstract
The results reported are based on data from all 50 States and the District of Columbia. Eighty-two percent of the SPHAs indicated that child maltreatment (CM) is considered to be "very important" or "important" to their agency. Thirty-nine percent of the SPHAs indicated that they had a designated child maltreatment staff person or program, and 41 percent reported that their State had a strategic/action plan for child maltreatment prevention. Thirty-seven percent reported that their State had a statute, law, or executive order that mandates the SPHA to participate in State child maltreatment prevention efforts. The number and percentage of States involved in various types of roles in preventing child maltreatment are also reported. In addition, the number and percentage of States involved in various types of programs and services that target child maltreatment are reported. Programs and services include home visiting, "Safe Sleep" programs, shaken baby prevention, and home safety education and checks. Data are also provided on partnerships and collaboration in child maltreatment prevention and intervention, data collection and surveillance, evaluation of child maltreatment prevention programs and services, challenges and barriers, and opportunities. Extensive figures