Prevent Child Abuse New York's Blog

Psychological Maltreatment Conference for Child Welfare Professionals

Our colleagues at the New York Foundling Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection are presenting a one-day conference on June 5, Psychological Maltreatment from Research to Practice: Bringing It Home. Conference participants will learn about the components of psychological maltreatment and its impact on children, identify examples of psychological maltreatment from their own practice, learn positive parenting techniques that develop children's self-esteem and improve their behavior, discuss effective intervention strategies, and learn how positive discipline can reduce problematic behaviors in children.

The conference is Monday, June 5, 2012, at the New York Foundling Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection, 27 Christopher Street (corner of Christopher Street and Waverly Place), New York, NY 10014. Registration is limited to 60 people, so register early to guarantee your spot. Details and registration information are here. 

 

 

 

Childhood Poverty Focus of NYSPEP Semi-Annual Meeting

We know that poverty is bad for children and families. But, why? The New York State Parenting Education Partnership (NYSPEP) will tackle that question at its semi-annual membership meeting on May 23. Cornell professor Gary Evans' presentation, The Environment of Childhood Poverty, outlines the cumulative effects of poverty and other risk factors on families. The session includes data on risk exposure, its consequences, and strategies to support families.

The afternoon workshop, Addressing the Environment of Poverty through the Lens of Protective Factors, includes information in Strengthening Families, a universal approach to building social connections and interpersonal skills. The presentation includes an overview of the protective factors upon which this approach is built, strategies for implementing in family support programs, and an introduction to the Protective Factors Survey.

The meeting is open to the public and will be held on Wednesday, May 23, 2012, 9 am - 4 pm, at the Carondelet Hospitality Center in Latham, New York. The registration fee is $25 and includes lunch. More details and registration information is here. 

 

 

Tell Your Rep. to Vote Against Cuts Targeting Millions of Low-income People

On Monday, May 7th the House is starting to debate legislation that would eliminate the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and make cuts to programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These cuts would single out millions of low-income children, seniors, and other vulnerable people to shoulder the burden of reducing the deficit, with a floor vote expected on Thursday, May 10. Passing this legislation would be a step towards carrying out plans outlined in the House-passed budget: Extreme cuts to nutrition, health care and other needed assistance. These cuts are proposed in a budget procedure called "reconciliation."

The Coalition on Human Needs is leading efforts to call members of Congress in opposition to the proposed budget cuts. Send an email asking your Representative to vote against these harmful cuts. We need to make a choice about what America's priorities look like. Tell Congress to vote against this harmful reconciliation bill. Take action today!

Scared Sick Lecture and Book-signing with Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith Wiley, April 2 in Albany

Toxic: extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful. Stress: a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.

Toxic stress is a regular companion for children living in families where abuse, neglect, and dysfunction are part of everyday life.  The impact on children and on our communities is profound and far-reaching.

No one explains better than Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith Wiley how toxic stress triggers problems that have created a major public health crisis - the research, the risks, and the results. Highlighting case studies and cutting-edge scientific findings, the authors show how our innate fight-or-flight system can injure us if overworked in the early stages of life, triggering diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression, and addiction later in life.

The co-authors of Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence and Scared Sick: The Role of Childhood Trauma in Adult Disease, will speak Monday, April 2, 2012 at 2 p.m. at the School of Social Welfare, University at Albany Page Hall.

Presented by Prevent Child Abuse New York and the University at Albany School of Social Welfare, the event is free and open to the public.

For more information or to register, e-mail Brittani Hanson, bhanson@preventchildabuseny.org.

You may view a video trailer about the book Scared Sick at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLF1jfWbj64

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Robin Karr-Morse is family therapist and a veteran of child welfare and public education systems in Oregon. Formerly the Director of Parent Training for the state child welfare system, she was the first executive director of the Oregon Children's Trust Fund, a consultant to Dr. T. Berry Brazelton's Touchpoints Program and a lecturer on the Brazelton Seminar Faculty. She has worked with county, state and national officials across the country to create social policies which support families in children’s earliest development. Currently, she is working with a group of colleagues to build “The Parenting Institute” to provide parents with state of the art developmental knowledge, skills and support which focuses on building emotionally competent children from conception through adolescence.

Meredith Wiley is a former prosecutor and currently state director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids New York, a crime fighting organization of law enforcement leaders and victims of violence who work to educate policy makers and the public on what works to get kids off to a good start in life and keep them from ever becoming criminals. Meredith is a former prosecutor.  She has been appointed to the New York State Children’s Cabinet Advisory Council, the Early Childhood Advisory Council, the Governor’s Task Force to Transform Juvenile Justice and the Juvenile Justice Advisory Group, and also is on the National Board of Advisors for the Nurse Family Partnership Program and the National Board of Advisors for the Parent Child Home Program.

Healthy Families New York Home Visiting Continued in Governor's Proposed Budget

We are deeply pleased that Governor Cuomo’s budget includes $23.3 million for Healthy Families New York Home Visiting, allowing the program to continue improving the lives of vulnerable children and families in some of the state’s highest need communities.

The voluntary prenatal - early childhood program has a proven track record of better outcomes for children. Through guidance and support for at-risk expectant and new mothers in 39 high-risk communities, it begins at the earliest opportunity to improve children’s health, safety and learning.

The program’s statewide system of training, site support and evaluation assures the program’s quality and effectiveness. Cost savings begin immediately, with healthier babies delivered, and continue for years as children do better in school.

At the same time as we applaud this year’s continuation of services, we also look toward future expansion of support for New York’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens. Our system of home visiting services still serves only a small percentage of those who would benefit. We can and should build on the existing system by increasing the availability of other proven home visiting programs like Nurse Family Partnership, Parents As Teachers and Parent-Child-Home, as well as Healthy Families New York.

The prenatal and earliest childhood period provides a critical window of opportunity. The profound impact of infants’ health at birth and the care they receive - or don’t receive - during the first three years lasts throughout their lives. Regular visits by trained home visitors during this time shifts the trajectory of families’ lives and lays a strong foundation for children’s future, thereby preventing problems that require expensive intervention and remediation.

Greater investment in evidence-based and promising home visiting programs in New York State will strengthen families, improve children’s wellbeing and development, and save taxpayers money.

Strong Roots Last a Lifetime Professional Development Conference Series: Dates and Locations Throughout New York State

These one-day conferences focused on parenting education are for anyone who works with children, parents, and families, whatever their profession or field may be. Workshops include: Normal Child Development: Birth Through Age Three, Communicating with Finesse, Parenting Styles, and Working With Parents in Groups. Presenters are experienced parenting educators and authorities on the topics of their workshops. Dates and locations include:

• September 21, Sinclairville
• October 5, Oceanside
• October 14, Manhattan
• October 26, Watertown
• November 2, Albany

For more information about these events, please visit the New York State Parenting Education Partnership's web site.

PCANY Joins the Movement for America's Children

Prevent Child Abuse New York has joined the National Movement for America’s Children, a fast-growing grassroots initiative of organizations and people, who are collaborating on a comprehensive national strategy to ensure that all of our children have healthy, nurturing homes, schools, neighborhoods and communities. Movement leaders will go to Washington in November to introduce this strategy and promote its implementation across the country. In the meantime, they’re gathering public input from across the nation.

The Movement for America’s Children is spearheaded by Prevent Child Abuse America, whose CEO Jim Hmurovich will travel to our state in October, to listen to New Yorkers’ ideas about a nationwide strategy for every child. He’ll be at the Walk for Children on October 15 in Albany’s Washington Park; Union College later that day for Sigma Delta Tau’s gala luncheon; and SUNY Albany School of Social Work on Monday afternoon October 17. All events (except Sigma Delta Tau’s luncheon) are open to all. Additional details will be announced in Prevent Child Abuse New York’s e-news and on our web site.

Founding Partners of the National Movement for America’s Children include Zero to Three, American Humane Association, National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, Voices for America’s Children, Children’s Leadership Council, CLASP, Child Welfare League of America, National Healthy Start Association, The Washington Children’s Foundation, General Federation of Women’s Clubs, and the National Exchange Club Foundation.

Pre-school: It's More than Naps and Snack Time

The First Five Years Fund has released an animated ad, Early Learning Matters, emphasizing the well documented link between high-quality early education for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens and better health, education and economic outcomes.

If you're in New York City, you can see the ad running every hour on the CBS jumbotron, on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, through July 8th.

On a related note, the folks at Planet Money recently discussed the research behind the case for pre-school with University of Chicago economist James Heckman.

This Father's Day Be a Dad

National Fatherhood Initiative has launched a new campaign, Be a Dad, to inspire dads to be involved in their children's lives.

The campaign includes many practical tips that can help fathers be the dads their kids need them to be. Tips include: Respect Your Child's Mother, Spend Time with Your Children, Earn the Right to be Heard, and Disciline with Love.

This terrific PSA is also part of the campaign.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Enjoy your special day with your kids.

Ms. Foundation Awards Funds to End Child Sexual Abuse

Good news from Prevent Child Abuse America and our sister chapters in Massachusetts, New Jersey and North Carolina: They've been awarded a grant from the Ms. Foundation for Women to continue their work to end child sexual abuse.

The Ms. Foundation for Women recently announced $600,000 in grants as part of a partnership with the NoVo Foundation and individual donors to end child sexual abuse in the United States.

“The Ms. Foundation for Women is proud to announce this new round of grants to prevent child sexual abuse,” says Senior Program Officer Monique Hoeflinger. “From working within Native American and religious communities, to advocating for new federal policies, to using art as a catalyst for social change, each group is pursuing innovative strategies to engage families, communities and policymakers to end child sexual abuse once and for all.”

“We not only want to celebrate the Ms. Foundation’s generosity,” says Jim Hmurovich, President & CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America, “but also their focused leadership on supporting an issue that has been silent far too long. I believe that people are awakening to the fact that healthy child development is better for children and our communities than experiencing child abuse and neglect. I am hopeful that this generosity and leadership will contribute to a grassroots movement for America’s children in communities across the nation to prevent sexual abuse and other forms of abuse from ever occurring. We all have a role to play in developing our next generation of adults, and the Ms. Foundation certainly is doing their part.”

A total of 15 organizations were selected from over 250 submissions. The awardees—representing local, state and national groups working in 14 states across the country—are faith-based, arts, domestic violence and survivor-led groups as well as sexual assault coalitions and child abuse prevention organizations, including Prevent Child Abuse America working in partnership with three members of its chapter network Prevent Child Abuse Maryland which is housed at The Family Tree, Prevent Child Abuse Massachusetts which is housed at Massachusetts Citizens for Children and Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey; and Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina which received its own individual grant.

In its selection of grantees, the Ms. Foundation prioritized organizations that advocate for policy reform and long-term culture change. Together, these grantees will foster a groundswell of new thinking, discussion and collective action on child sexual abuse prevention. In addition to delivering funds, the Ms. Foundation will offer critical non-monetary support that will enable awardees to share strategies and ideas and strengthen the movement overall.

“Child sexual abuse is a complex social problem that requires more than one organization or approach,” says Hoeflinger. “As reflected in this diverse group of grantees, ending child sexual abuse will take local, state and national organizations working together in a collaborative, strategic way.”