Background: Child abuse is a significant public health problem, however it is rarely addressed from a public health perspective. Most cases of child abuse are handled by child welfare agencies focusing upon intervention rather than prevention. These agencies are often overburdened, turning away families in need of assistance before they abuse their children. MCH agencies are beginning to recognize their role in providing preventive services to families at risk of abusing their children.
Methods: The Children’s Safety Network (CSN), a national violence and injury resource center funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau conducted a review of the literature on public health and child abuse, state health department planning documents and interviews with key injury control staff.
Results: The presentation will summarize existing state MCH efforts to prevent child abuse, evaluations of these efforts and examples of collaborative child abuse programs that have been effectively implemented by state MCH agencies. Public health in general, and MCH in particular, rarely lead a state’s child abuse prevention efforts. This research identifies appropriate and effective roles for MCH in statewide child abuse prevention efforts.
Conclusions: MCH agencies have undertaken a number of activities to address the underlying causes of child abuse and neglect. The results of CSN’s synthesis of current research and its assessment and documentation of current state-level activities can be of use to policymakers and public health professionals as they seek better ways to address the root causes of this problem.
See www.edc.org/HHD/csnLearning Objectives: From this session, participants will: Understand common elements of child abuse prevention programs. Learn How MCH agencies can take an active role in child abuse prevention. Learn about resources CSN can provide to states in implementing effective child abuse prevention programs.
Keywords: Violence Prevention, Public Health Agency Roles
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Children's Safety Network
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: employment