Child Abuse Prevention Month Highlights North Carolina’s Collective Responsibility to Build Nurturing, Positive Childhoods | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    RALEIGH     Recognizing the role everyone plays in helping North Carolina's children reach their untapped potential, Governor Roy Cooper declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Child Abuse Prevention Month is a time when organizations, businesses, community groups, faith communities and others come together to elevate the importance of creating systems and supporting proven strategies that put children and families first. Some of these proven strategies include increasing investments in family support, building families financial security and implementing family-friendly workplace policies.

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina recognize that every single child is filled with tremendous promise - and all North Carolinians have a shared obligation to foster their potential. The theme of this year's statewide CAP Month campaign is "Nurturing Positive Childhoods: Building Prevention in Partnership."

    "We all want every child in North Carolina to grow up healthy in a safe, nurturing family and community," said NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. "Building healthy communities takes work. We all have a responsibility to ensure children have positive experiences, and help families access the resources they need, when they need them."

    Extreme stress and uncertainty for families may increase the risk of child abuse and neglect raising the need to support families and prevent abuse before it occurs. When communities work together to remove the heaviest loads weighing families and entire communities down, safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments and equal opportunities are created for every child in North Carolina, ultimately building a stronger future for everyone.

    "Prevention only happens in partnership. During this year's Child Abuse Prevention Month, we hope all North Carolinians find a way to be a connection and help nurture positive childhoods so more children can thrive," said Sharon Hirsch, President and CEO of PCANC. "There are a number of ways you can get involved in this campaign and there are also some everyday things you can do to help prevent child maltreatment from ever occurring."

    NCDHHS and PCANC recommends local community members help raise awareness and impact through the following simple action items this CAP Month:

    - Wear blue on Friday, March 31, Wear Blue Day, to show support for children and families. Post a photo or video on social media and include the #WearBlueDay and #NC hashtags.

    - Attend a Pinwheel Planting hosted by NCDHHS and PCANC:

    April 3, 11 a.m.-noon - NC State Farmer's Market (1201 Agriculture St., Raleigh, NC 27603). Learn more.

• The public and media is invited to attend. Speakers include NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley; Lisa Cauley, Senior Director of Human Services in the Division of Social Services; and Sharon Hirsch, President & CEO of Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina.

    April 11, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. - NCDHHS-Division of Public Health, Six Forks Campus (5605 Six Forks Road, Raleigh, NC 27609). Learn more.

• Media is also invited to attend. Speakers include Susan Gayle Perry, Chief Deputy Secretary for Opportunity and Well-Being at NCDHHS; Susan Kansagra, M.D., State Health Officer/Assistant Secretary for Public Health; and Sharon Hirsch, President & CEO of Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina.

    - Participate in Digital Advocacy Day on Wednesday, April 19, to advocate for the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) and economic supports for families.

    - Follow PCANC on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and NCDHHS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to share our posts throughout April and join the conversation using the hashtags #NurturingPositiveChildhoods and #CAPMonth.

    For tools and resources to recognize CAP Month and to learn how you can help nurture positive childhoods to build the foundation for our future, please visit www.preventchildabusenc.org.

• NC Department of Health and Human Services
• 2001 Mail Service Center
• Raleigh, NC 27699-2001
• Ph: (919) 855-4840
• news@dhhs.nc.gov