where all children grow up in safe families and communities.
Did you miss the Celebration but still want to support children and families?
Donate hereA look back on the origins and accomplishments of Prevent Child Abuse America.
Donna J. Stone founded the National Committee on Prevention of Child Abuse in Chicago, envisioning a future in which no children are ever abused or neglected. The Center’s years were dedicated to raising awareness and establishing baseline research on child abuse and neglect.
Our first state chapter opened in Kansas. Since then, PCA America has focused on building evidence and a public health imperative around child abuse and neglect.
The Ad Council created powerful advertising campaigns that shaped the way Americans viewed child abuse. PSAs featured the tagline, “Take time out. Don’t take it out on your child.”
Healthy Families America (HFA) was launched to promote child well-being by preventing abuse and neglect through family-focused and empathic support provided in the home.
More than 18,000 calls were made to the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse’s hotline and more than 95% of adults surveyed said they believe child abuse was a serious problem.
The National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse is renamed to Prevent Child Abuse America. In partnership with the National Family Support Roundtable, the newly-renamed Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America) received federal funding to support the growth of a national network of parent self-help and mutual support programs, which evolved into the Circle of Parents program.
PCA America received the first of two Because Kids Count! grants from the CDC, focusing on prevention across the country and enhancing the availability and impact of evidence-based programming.
The Pinwheels for Prevention® campaign is launched nationwide, introducing the pinwheel as the new symbol of child abuse prevention. By their very nature, pinwheels connote childlike happiness and whimsy and have come to serve as a reminder of the great childhoods we want for all children. Since the campaign’s introduction, Pinwheels for Prevention campaigns have raised awareness and financial support in communities across the country.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services identified Healthy Families America as a proven home visiting model. This important recognition came after a thorough and transparent review of the home visiting research literature, the same year HFA became a founding member of the National Movement for America’s Children, which has since evolved into Connect the Dots.
Childhood trauma received national attention on 60 Minutes. In his televised interview with Oprah Winfrey about childhood trauma, PCA America board member Dr. Bruce Perry explained, “If you also have opportunities to be connected to people in positive ways, that can buffer some of those [negative] effects.”
The Mother and Infant Home Visiting Evaluation (MIHOPE) report is delivered to Congress. It contained an analysis of the states’ and territories’ needs, assessments, and baseline data on the families, staff, and programs participating. The study included 88 local home visiting programs across 12 states, including Healthy Families America.
Prevent Child Abuse America announced that its chapters in seven states — Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Virginia — successfully completed the organization’s strength-based chartering process in 2019. Fifteen more chapters — in Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Washington, D.C. — were preparing for site visits in 2020, helping to extend the organization’s mission throughout the United States.
PCA America celebrates its 50th anniversary – recommitting to prioritizing prevention and building new systems of child and family wellbeing to strengthen all families with nearly 600 HFA sites across the country.
Everyone, from parents to policymakers, and from community leaders to business leaders, has a role to play in community solutions. When we work together to help all children reach their full potential and create communities in which every child can thrive, we can build a more equitable, healthy, and economically thriving nation.
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SUBSCRIBEYour contribution will help PCA America continue to implement upstream solutions to prevent abuse and neglect before they happen.
DONATELearn more about public policies to support families and children at PCA America’s Policy Action Center. You can help advocate for meaningful solutions.
LEARN MOREPartner with us at Prevent Child Abuse America’s 50th Anniversary celebration and community events.
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