The National Child Abuse Coalition was formed by a group of both voluntary and professional organizations in 1981. Through the combining of 25 different organizations, the National Child Abuse Coalition has become a primary resource for advocacy on the issue of child maltreatment.
The goal of the National Child Abuse Coalition is to prevent child abuse, child neglect, and child maltreatment before it is too late. They aim to help families even prior to Child Services and the child welfare system getting involved.
The National Child Abuse Coalition works with members of Congress as well. The consult with congress on treatment programs, preventions, and speaks on behalf of all families affected by the issue of child abuse. Through the connection the National Child Abuse Coalition has with Congress, the Coalition advocates for acts such as the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), Safe and Stable Families (Title IV-B), and home visiting programs such as MIECHV; The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (NIECHV) supports home visiting for pregnant women and parents with children up to kindergarten entry living in at-risk communities and is s administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in partnership with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
COVID-19:
As now many families are home more due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Child Abuse Coalition is working hard to get the Schrier/Young/Bass child welfare letter signed by Republican and Democratic House Representatives. This letter maintains goals of:
- increasing funding by $1 billion for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) Grants
- Funding would be used by states and local organizations to meet the need for child abuse prevention programs and adapt services to account for social distancing
- increasing funding by $20 million for Kinship Navigator Programs
- This funding will provide supplies, information, and assistance for families in which caregivers are at high risk of death or severe illness if exposed to the coronavirus.
- increasing funding by $1 billion for Title IV-B Part 2
- This funding would help child welfare agencies provide the services necessary to stabilize families and prevent a major influx of children into the foster care system.
- increasing funding by $500 million for CAPTA Title I
- This funding is spread widely across the welfare system to ensure necessary services are provided.
- increasing funding by $30 million for the Court Improvement Program
- This funding will be put towards helping children during the pandemic.
- increasing FMAP for Title IV-E Prevention Program
- Increasing the federal funding rate for IV-E prevention will stop unnecessary foster placements when it puts families and children at risk for additional dangers.
- increasing funding to Title IV-E Chafee funds by $500 million
- This funding supports children that are transitioning from the foster care system to adulthood.
Overall, this letter to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, would support emergency funding for the child abuse prevention and child welfare systems to help strengthen families and keep children safe during these hard times.