There has been a lot of discussion over the past couple of weeks on new child poverty data that show drastic and steady declines. In a New York Times piece citing the US Census Bureau and the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University stated:
Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America) and Healthy Families America (HFA) are pleased to endorse the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022. We thank the leaders of the Committee on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives for their dedicated bipartisan work to support and strengthen families through this reauthorization of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program.
By Dr. Melissa Merrick
President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America
The Inflation Reduction Act, Congress’s final budget reconciliation package, was signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022. This Act secures investments in clean energy to combat our climate crisis, reduces prescription drug costs, especially for seniors, and eases health care costs for those obtaining coverage under the Affordable Care Act — all very important things.
The Prevent Child Abuse America and Healthy Families America community is deeply saddened by the loss of Congresswoman Jackie Walorski and her two staffers, Zachery Potts and Emma Thomson, who tragically passed away yesterday. We extend our sincerest condolences to the families and the many friends and colleagues who will miss their passion and dedication to their country, the state of Indiana and the constituents they served.
Prevent Child Abuse America is excited to announce that the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (Injury Center) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has joined the Thriving Families, Safer Children effort. Thriving Families, Safer Children is a first-of-its-kind national partnership that works across public, private and philanthropic sectors to promote the health, well-being and economic stability of families to help strengthen communities and end the harmful practice of family separation.
This month, the Chicagoland area and the entire nation mourns the loss of numerous lives and the injuries of many others in what can only be described as senseless acts of violence this Independence Day weekend. The understandable outrage and profound sadness following the mass shootings that occurred not only on Chicago’s South Side and in nearby Highland Park, Illinois, but also around the country, are feelings that we at Prevent Child Abuse America share. As a national organization headquartered in Chicago, all of us at PCA America feel the weight of these tragedies, and we stand in solidarity with our friends and neighbors.
PCA America’s President and CEO Dr. Melissa Merrick has published an opinion piece titled “Child abuse deaths are preventable” in the Chicago Sun Times with Dr. Norell Rosado, Interim Division Head of Child Abuse Pediatrics at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago:
PCA America CEO, Dr. Melissa Merrick has been selected to speak at the kickoff event for Pathways to Resilience’s Expert Advisory Committee. This new initiative is a national forum to help states and communities advance trauma-responsive policies and programs across sectors.
What a heavy week it is for our nation and communities. Words are not enough to express our collective grief, and our hearts are with the families of the victims and the entire community in Uvalde, Texas. As a mother, I’m angry and frustrated and so sad (all the feelings, really), knowing that these events and the tragic loss of lives did not have to happen. This could have been prevented if we truly implemented a comprehensive approach to preventing gun violence.
