This year marks the 35th year since President Ronald Regan declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and Hephzibah is committed to raising awareness because we believe that every child deserves to live in a safe and nurturing environment, an environment that is free from abuse and neglect. Understanding that sometimes the best way to help is child is to keep the family together, Hephzibah offers a wide range of support and intervention programs for families in crisis. Hephzibah’s Intact Family Services team is positioned to stabilize families in crisis as an alternative to placing children in foster care.
“If at all possible, children should be able to grow up in their families of origin,” emphasizes Family Based Services Director Julie Dvorsky. “Last year, to keep families together, we provided intact services for 86 families and 196 children” According to Dvorsky, these families were struggling with multiple stressors that had destabilized the family unit, including poverty, substance abuse, discipline problems and chronic health issues.
“We helped these families get the assistance that they needed – from referrals for mental health services to diapers and infant formula – so that the children could remain safely at home,” Dvorsky reports. “Through a generous grant from the Owens Foundation, which provides funding to fight homelessness, we were also able to keep 15 families at risk of homelessness sheltered last year.”
By year’s end, 100 percent of the families served through this program were able to provide safer, more stable environments for their children, compared to a statewide average of 88 percent.
To help raise awareness of child abuse prevention, many events and activities will be held throughout Illinois. To learn more and to attend an event, go to http://www.preventchildabuseillinois.org/cap-month .