Dear friends,
During Child Abuse Prevention Month this April CASA programs across Texas will be hosting events, reaching out to local media, ramping up grassroots recruitment efforts and more, with the goal of informing the community about child abuse and neglect and the urgent need for more volunteers. Did you know in 2023 alone, more than 58,000 children were confirmed by the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to be victims of abuse or neglect? No child deserves to experience harm, or to be torn away from everything they know and placed in foster care. So, how can you help?
Child Abuse Prevention Month is critical for raising awareness in our communities, but awareness in itself is not enough. The thousands of children who are going through the system without an advocate need more than just awareness. They need action.
Awareness, while important, is only the first step of responsibility and accountability. Maybe you’re newly aware of the issues children in foster care face, or maybe you are already a member of the CASA community as a volunteer, staff or board member. No matter your role or level of involvement with the CASA network, we all are an essential part of the solution, so ask yourself: What will you do to go from awareness to action, this month and beyond?
Will you speak up for a child who needs you? Visit www.BecomeACASA.org to locate and contact your local CASA program, and take the first step towards becoming a CASA volunteer. CASA volunteers play a key role in ensuring the safety and well-being of children and youth while in foster care and work to ensure they do not experience further abuse or neglect.
Will you tell a friend about the CASA difference? Maybe this month is finally the time to sit down with that friend who you know would make an outstanding volunteer and tell them about your experience with CASA and why you think they’d be a great fit. You can get the conversation started by nominating them to become a CASA volunteer.
Will you support the work we do? A donation to your local CASA program or Texas CASA is an investment in the future of Texas children. Donate to your local program or make a gift to Texas CASA’s statewide efforts today.
I encourage you to dive deeper into the issues around child abuse and neglect prevention in our article, Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention: What You Need to Know & What You Can Do. If you are interested in seeing your local county’s statistics on abuse and neglect, check out the 2023 DFPS Data Book or download the complete data sets from fiscal year 2014-2023 on the Texas Open Data Portal.
This month and beyond, remember, prevention is possible, and join me in supporting the CASA mission in whatever ways you can. Let’s build strong families, strong communities and a stronger Texas—and a brighter, happier future for Texas children.
Warmly,
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. If you see or suspect abuse, neglect or exploitation, report it to 1(800) 252-5400 or go to www.txabusehotline.org. If a child’s life is in danger, call 911.