1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly
3 Fiscal Session, 2024 HR 1022
4
5 By: Representative Vaught
6
7 HOUSE RESOLUTION
8 TO RECOGNIZE THAT ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF CHILDREN IS A
9 SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM; TO COMMEND THE
10 IMPORTANT WORK BEING DONE TO COMBAT THIS SERIOUS
11 PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM; AND TO PROCLAIM APRIL 17,
12 2024, AS "CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER DAY" IN ARKANSAS
13 AS PART OF NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
14
15
16 Subtitle
17 TO RECOGNIZE THAT ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF
18 CHILDREN IS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH
19 PROBLEM; TO COMMEND THE IMPORTANT WORK
20 BEING DONE TO COMBAT THIS PUBLIC HEALTH
21 PROBLEM; AND TO PROCLAIM APRIL 17, 2024,
22 AS "CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER DAY".
23
24
25 WHEREAS, in 2023, an estimated three hundred eighty-one thousand three
26 hundred sixty-four (381,364) children were served by children's advocacy
27 centers nationwide; and
28
29 WHEREAS, in 2023, twenty-seven (27) children's advocacy center
30 locations throughout Arkansas served an estimated nine thousand four hundred
31 twelve (9,412) child victims of abuse, providing over eighty thousand
32 (80,000) victim advocacy and support services to the children and their
33 families; and of those nine thousand four hundred twelve (9,412) children, a
34 majority of the children were twelve (12) years old or younger; and
35
36 WHEREAS, although neglect is the most common form of child
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1 maltreatment, child victims also suffer year after year from physical abuse,
2 sexual abuse, drug endangerment, commercial sexual exploitation, and
3 psychological maltreatment; and
4
5 WHEREAS, children's advocacy centers seek to model, promote, and
6 deliver excellence in child abuse response and prevention through direct
7 service, education, collaboration, and leadership; and
8
9 WHEREAS, Children's Advocacy Centers of Arkansas is the leading
10 statewide organization supporting the multidisciplinary response to child
11 abuse; and
12
13 WHEREAS, it is appropriate to underline the growing problem of child
14 abuse and the serious impact child abuse has on the citizens of Arkansas and
15 the future generations of our state, as well as on those of the rest of the
16 nation,
17
18 NOW THEREFORE,
19 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
20 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
21
22 THAT the House of Representatives recognize that abuse and neglect of
23 children is a significant public health problem; commend the important work
24 being done to combat this serious public health problem; and proclaim April
25 17, 2024, as "Children's Advocacy Center Day" in Arkansas.
26
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution shall be
28 provided to Ms. Elizabeth Pulley, Executive Director of the Children's
29 Advocacy Centers of Arkansas, by the Chief Clerk of the House of
30 Representatives.
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