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April 11, 2008

Decatur Mayor to Sign Proclamation in Recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month

Decatur Mayor Don Kyle will sign a proclamation on behalf of the Alabama Fatherhood Initiative program at Calhoun Community College declaring the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention month in the city of Decatur.  The signing ceremony will take place tomorrow, Friday, April 11, 2008, at 10:00 am in the Mayor’s office.

According to Calhoun’s AFI coordinator Angela Henderson, April is recognized nationally as Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Increasing public awareness of the need to ensure the safety and welfare of children led to the passage of the first Federal child protection legislation, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), in 1974.

In the early 1980s, Congress made a further commitment identifying and implementing solutions to child abuse. Recognizing the alarming rate at which children continued to be abused and neglected and the need for innovative programs to prevent child abuse and assist parents and families affected by maltreatment, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives resolved that the week of June 6-12, 1982, should be designated as the first National Child Abuse Prevention Week.

The following year, April was proclaimed the first National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Since then, child abuse and neglect awareness activities have been promoted across the country during April of each year.

“We are extremely grateful to Mayor Kyle for his support of the AFI program through the signing of this proclamation,” commented Ms. Henderson.  “This event is one of dozens which are taking place throughout the state to recognize the work of so many to help eradicate child abuse,” she added.

Janet Kincherlow-Martin
Director of Public Relations
(256) 306-2561

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