Governor Bob Riley has proclaimed the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Alabama. Statewide, during Fiscal Year 2007, the Department of Human Resources investigated reports of abuse and neglect involving almost 30,000 children.
State DHR Commissioner Page Walley said protecting children from abuse and neglect requires the help of vigilant community partners. "We count on the community to alert us when there is a possible threat to a child’s health and safety," Commissioner Walley said. "Our protective service workers are conscientious professionals who investigate these reports with the child’s safety as their top priority," he noted.
If you have a reasonable suspicion that a child is being abused or neglected, you should make a report. Privacy laws prohibit the release of information about specific cases, including the name of the person who made the report.
Handling these cases requires skill, patience and persistence. Child welfare staff works closely with law enforcement officials and mandated reporters such as; teachers, doctors and other medical personnel in investigating these reports.
According to the Center for Business and Economic Research, University of Alabama, taxpayers in Alabama pay over $520,000,000 annually to address the effect of child abuse and neglect. Preventing child abuse and neglect not only saves lives, it can potentially save millions of dollars for the taxpayers of Alabama.
To report suspected abuse or neglect, contact your local County Department of Human Resources or your local law enforcement authorities.
Click here to view the Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation.
For additional information concerning what you can do to help prevent child abuse or neglect, please visit the following web pages.
The Department of Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention/Children’s Trust Fund
http://www.ctf.alabama.gov/
The Child Welfare Information Gateway
http://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/