Chicago—Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America) announced today that Prevent Child Abuse Iowa (PCA Iowa) and Prevent Child Abuse Mississippi (PCA Mississippi) are the most recent chapters to successfully complete the organization’s rigorous re-chartering process.
“State chapters are the lifeblood of our work,” said PCA America President & CEO Dan Duffy. “We’re fortunate to work with such a talented and dedicated network of experts, and we’re grateful to the leadership and staff at PCA Mississippi and PCA Iowa who enable us to broadly extend our efforts and positively impact the lives of children, families and communities nationwide.”
During the re-chartering process, formally called the Building Capacity Chartering, PCA America chapters undergo an in-depth assessment that evaluates criteria such as the demonstration of a strong mission and consistent brand identity, documentation of sound operational infrastructure and financial resources and evidence of leadership in the statewide scope of influence and activity in child abuse and neglect prevention.
“These criteria help ensure consistency across the network, which in turn provides a solid foundation for innovation, allowing us to really focus on the needs of our core audiences,” stated PCA Iowa Executive Director Liz Cox. “For example, in 2015 we developed Connections Matter, a trauma-informed response to adverse childhood experiences that stresses the importance of caring relationships to improve the prospects of children, youth and adults who face the risk of or suffer trauma. This was a direct response to trends we witnessed in the field.”
PCA America chapters range from independent nonprofit organizations to entities operating under umbrella institutions such as government agencies, hospitals and universities, and programming is frequently conducted in tandem with community partners. PCA Mississippi operates in partnership with the Children’s Safe Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The chapter’s Darkness to Light training helps equip community-based organizations with resources that protect today’s youth by bringing awareness to the issue of child sexual abuse and strategies for prevention.
“Affiliation with PCA America provides access to a broad network of aligned institutions that help amplify our work,” explained PCA Mississippi Executive Director Rebecca Mansell. “For instance, we now participate in Pinwheels for Prevention, a grassroots public awareness campaign started in 2008 by chapters in Florida, Georgia and Ohio. During April, which is national Child Abuse Prevention Month, we are partnering again with five Kappa Delta Sorority chapters throughout the state to extend child abuse awareness in our communities. Collaboration on this scale enables us to reach even more children, families and individuals in Mississippi.”
About Prevent Child Abuse Iowa
Since 1975, Prevent Child Abuse Iowa has been leading child abuse prevention efforts in Iowa, inspiring change and making our state safer for those who need it. Starting in a time when child abuse was not widely recognized or addressed, we have made, with the support of many partners, huge strides in creating safe, nurturing environments for Iowa’s children. We continue to work towards a future in which child abuse is a part of the past. Visit pcaiowa.org to learn more.
About Prevent Child Abuse Mississippi
Since 2008, Prevent Child Abuse Mississippi, which is located at the only children’s hospital within the state, has been leading groundbreaking child abuse prevention efforts, including an interactive “plant your own pinwheel” map (https://preventchildabusems.org/PreventChildAbuseMS/Donate/ViewPins.aspx) and Prevent Child Abuse Mississippi car tags, which spread awareness on streets throughout America.
About Prevent Child Abuse America
Prevent Child Abuse America is a leading champion for all children in the United States. Founded in 1972, we are the nation’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect, working to actively prevent all forms of child abuse and neglect before they occur and helping children grow up to be productive, contributing members of their communities and society. Our success is founded on a nationwide network of state chapters and nearly 600 Healthy Families America home visiting sites, which directly provide parents and caregivers a wide variety of services and resources. Our comprehensive approach is informed by science—we translate and disseminate innovative research to promote proven solutions that our vast network then puts into action. And we raise public awareness and advocate for family friendly policies at the national, state, and local levels to support transformative programs and promote the conditions and contexts that help children, families, and communities across the country thrive.
Contact:
Charles Mutscheller
Chief Communications Officer
cmutscheller@preventchildabuse.org
