FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Prevent Child Abuse America Awarded $1.7 Million from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to Strengthen Public Health Systems
September 25, 2024 – Chicago, IL – Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America), the nation’s leading organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect, is honored to be one of the recipients of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 5-year cooperative agreement aimed at strengthening public health systems and services across the U.S. This award will allow PCA America to translate public health science into action, promote health equity, and prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through its extensive nationwide networks of state chapters and signature Healthy Families America home visiting sites.
PCA America’s efforts, supported by this CDC funding, go beyond traditional prevention models by actively working to shift the national narrative on children’s health and well-being. Historically, discussions have focused on individual families and parents. However, PCA America’s Theory of Change highlights the need to address the broader systemic issues that perpetuate cycles of hardship. Inadequate support systems contribute to the stress experienced by parents, which can lead to unsafe environments for children. By focusing on creating a more supportive ecosystem PCA America is helping to alleviate these pressures and foster healthier, more stable family environments.
“This funding is an opportunity to explore systemic solutions and shift the narrative from individual blame to the collective responsibility of building robust, community based supportive systems,” said Dr. Melissa Merrick, President & CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America. “Our work is about ensuring that the conditions for children and families to thrive are in place—not just for today, but for future generations.”
PCA America will focus on key initiatives supported by the CDC funding:
- Essentials for Childhood Community of Practice for Self-Supported States
PCA America will offer strategic support to self-supported states involved in the Essentials for Childhood framework by providing training, technical assistance, and capacity-building tools. This will focus on organizational capacity, performance improvement, and partnership development to help states bridge the gap between public health science and community-based action. The initiative aims to foster systemic interventions that address the root causes of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
2. Engaging People with Lived Experience to Advance Equity in Prevention of Interpersonal Violence (IPV)
PCA America will engage and leverage the expertise of parents, caregivers, and lived experts within its extensive primary prevention network. This effort will co-design strategies to strengthen injury and violence prevention nationwide, ensuring lived experiences shape these approaches. By fostering relationships and leveraging network knowledge, PCA America aims to enhance prevention programs and advance health equity.
These combined efforts will foster stronger connections between the Essentials for Childhood states, PCA America’s state chapters, Thriving Families, Safer Children sites, and Healthy Families America sites, furthering the organization’s mission to prevent child abuse and neglect and create community-based primary prevention support systems.
“Through this opportunity, we are strengthening the capacity of public health systems to shift from reaction to prevention,” Jennifer Jones, PCA America’s Chief Strategy Officer added. “It’s about systems-level change to ensure that states have the capacity to support families before they find themselves in crisis.”
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Takkeem Morgan, Senior Director of Communications, at tmorgan@preventchildabuse.org.
About Prevent Child Abuse America:
Prevent Child Abuse America is the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect. Our mission is to prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation’s children by fostering an ecosystem of support that empowers and strengthens families. This ecosystem is designed to prevent child abuse before it starts, ensuring that all children and families can lead purposeful, happy lives filled with hope for the future.
Contact:
Takkeem Morgan
Senior Director of Communications
Prevent Child Abuse America
