This video was designed to inform parents and family members of the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome. Make sure that everyone who cares for your child knows the many serious and sometimes fatal injuries that can be caused when a child is violently shaken. (10 min)

Spanish Version

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           
Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Contact: Jessica Robinson
573-751-0290                                                   

            JEFFERSON CITY – Gov. Matt Blunt announced today that the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors approved and awarded over $1.5 million for Fiscal Year 2008 to 58 community-based child abuse prevention grantees.  Located throughout Missouri, the organizations and agencies will provide programs that strengthen families to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect.

            “Our children are our future, and these important grants are making important investments to strengthen Missouri families and prevent child abuse and neglect,” Gov. Blunt said.  “This funding will provide education and services that nurture families and will provide resources and guidance to help families live without abuse and neglect.”

            According to the Missouri Department of Social Services, in 2006, 123,298 hotline calls generated 51,396 reports of child abuse and neglect involving 74,545 children.  Of those 5,279 cases substantiated, 7,217 children were involved.  Abused and neglected children are at higher risk for negative outcomes such as adolescent pregnancy, substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, academic failure and criminal activity.

            “We are appreciative of our contributors who enable the Children’s Trust Fund to provide resources for these proven prevention models each year,” said Kirk Schreiber, CTF executive director.  “Our partners are diligent in their efforts to strengthen their communities by helping families learn skills to avoid abusive situations.”

            Some of the funded prevention programs focus on home visitation and school-based sexual abuse prevention education.  Several engage in mentoring programs that help pregnant and parenting teens by providing education, resources and support.  Others provide parenting classes and introduce infant massage kits to new parents to encourage and develop positive bonding, and some programs provide safe cribs for infants.  Grandparent and fatherhood initiatives, the Strengthening Families model, crisis nurseries, professional development training, and support of other underserved populations continue to be addressed through this funding.  CTF also invests in programs that support families of medically fragile babies and other special needs children who are at-risk of abuse.  Four specific grants will help communities develop an integrated system of delivering health, family support and social services to children and families.    

            CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention and works through grant distribution, education and awareness.  CTF has distributed over $37 million of non-general revenue funding toward prevention efforts since being created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983.  Funding for community-based prevention grants is awarded for one year with the possibility of renewal for an additional four years based on the performance outcome of the program and the availability of CTF funding.  During the last three years of the cycle, the grantee is required to fund an increasing proportion of the program’s cost.

            For a complete list of CTF prevention projects funded, please visit www.ctf4kids.org or call 573-751-5147.

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When children are nurtured, they grow up to be happy and healthy adults.  But when they lack an attachment to a caring adult, receive inconsistent nurturing, or experience harsh discipline, the long-lasting consequences can affect their health, well-being and relationships with others.

Child abuse and neglect often takes place in the home and come from a person the child knows well — a parent, relative, babysitter, or friend of the family.  There are four major types of child abuse maltreatment.  Although any of the forms may be found separately, they often occur together.

Neglect is failure to provide for a child’s basic needs.

Physical abuse is physical injury as a result of hitting, kicking, shaking, burning or otherwise harming a child.

Sexual abuse is any situation where a child is used for sexual gratification.  This may include indecent exposure, fondling, rape or commercial exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials.

Emotional abuse is any patten of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development and sense of self-worth, including constant criticism threats, and rejection.

For more information please visit www.childwelfare.gov/can/defining/ and www.childwelfare.gov/can/types.

The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) was established in 1983 by the Missouri General Assembly as Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. The CTF board of directors determined as policy that only primary and secondary prevention services would be eligible for CTF funding consideration. The board also decided that CTF would not fund tertiary prevention services, which are designed to provide treatment for a family or child once abuse or neglect has occurred. The chart below describes the primary and secondary prevention efforts, which are distinguished by their target population that they serve and the level of response of services to families.

Child Abuse and Neglect Definitions as They Apply to Prevention Efforts
Primary Prevention
Any action aimed at preventing child abuse or neglect from occurring for the first time to a child or in a family. 

Secondary Prevention
Any actions or programs directed at populations or families who have been determined to be at-risk for abusive or neglectful behavior, or have circumstances in their lives that present challenges to positive parenting behaviors and optimal child development.

Who should receive these child abuse and neglect services?
Primary Prevention
Large, unselected groups of the general public. These actions must be delivered to non-abusive and non-neglecting families with the intention of helping them remain non-abusive and non-neglecting. There are no eligibility requirements for these programs beyond having a child or being in a position where one interacts with children.

Secondary Prevention
Selected, specific families and those who may be at-risk of abusing or neglecting children. The determination of the riskiness of a family is often made by an examination of demographic characteristics of the family (age of parents, income, education) or by a checklist of risk factors (unwanted pregnancy, substance abuse, parents were victims of childhood abuse or neglect, etc.).

Level of Service Response to Families
Primary Prevention 
Services to all children and families.

Secondary Prevention
Special services to those with special needs/problems/risks defined by detailed individual assessment or on broad demographic variables.

Types of Activities/Services
Primary Prevention
*Public service announcements
*Public education for the general public
*Activities for children which prepare them for responsible adulthood and/or how to protect themselves from abuse

Secondary Prevention
*Home visitation programs for at-risk families
*Parent education for at-risk parents
*Respite care for families in crisis
*Family resource centers in low-income neighborhoods
*Parent support groups for at-risk populations

It’s easier to build strong children than to mend broken men. — Frederick Douglas

Child abuse prevention is important to every Missouri citizen, and it is the Children’s Trust Fund’s (CTF) goal to support children and their families in leading healthy, happy and productive lives.

CTF does not receive any general revenue funding from the State to support its prevention activities.  Funding is obtained from dedicated fees on marriage licenses and vital records, volunteer contributions designated on Missouri State Income Tax Returns, sales of the specialty CTF license plate, general donations, and interest income from the Fund.  CTF also administers the Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) federal grant.

The need is real…children in Missouri are at risk. Prevention is the key.

The human and economic costs of child abuse are substantial, but most of all, the act of child abuse is the ultimate injustice and should not be tolerated.  With your commitment to prevention, together we can make a difference for our children…our future.

Your voice…and actions…matter…

• Want a license to care? For an annual donation of $25, you can show your belief in the importance of child abuse and neglect prevention by purchasing a CTF specialty license plate.  The exposure of the tags generates awareness, and the funds collected support prevention programs throughout Missouri.
• Getting a tax refund?  Check off child abuse. Look for the handprints on your Missouri State Income Tax Return and designate any amount over $2 to CTF by checking the box to contribute through the tax check-off program.  Your contribution may either be deductd from your refund or added to the amount owed.
• General donation. Give throughout the year.  Please remember that CTF is a non-profit 501c(3) entity, so your contribution is tax deductible.
• Create a memorial fund.  To honor the memory of a loved one, consider designating CTF as the recipient of memorial donations.
• Matching gift contributions.  Speak with your company’s human resources department.  Your company may agree to match employee donations made to CTF.
• Reach out to Missouri legislators.  Talk to your State Senator or State Representative about funding for child abuse and neglect prevention, strengthening families and support for CTF.
• Get involved in prevention activities. CTF can help identify programs in your community that support child abuse prevention.

Missouri’s Foundation For Child Abuse Prevention
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention.  CTF was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization whose purpose is to prevent and/or alleviate child abuse and neglect.  Located within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF is governed by a twenty-one member Board of Directors, seventeen of whom are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Missouri Senate.

CTF does not receive any general revenue funding from the State to support its prevention activities.  Funding is obtained from dedicated fees on marriage licenses and vital records, volunteer contributions designated on Missouri State Income Tax Returns, sales of the specialty CTF license plate, general donations, interest income from the Fund, and other grants.

Our Vision – Strong Families, Safe Kids
The Children’s Trust Fund envisions children and families free to grow and reach their full potential in a nurturing and healthy environment, free from child abuse and neglect.

Our Mission – Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect through Grant Distribution, Education and Awareness
The Children’s Trust Fund will prevent or alleviate child abuse and neglect for the State of Missouri’s children and families by:

• Planning and policy development;
• Ensuring appropriate funding of results-oriented programs, training programs for professionals and research;
• Promoting public awareness and education; and
• Assisting in the integration of statewide prevention efforts.

Prevention Programming
CTF’s primary function is to fund child abuse and neglect prevention programs throughout the state that focus on the following areas:

• Parent education and support
• Mentoring
• Infant nurturing/infant massage
• Community education
• Grandparent support
• Staff training and development
• Home visitation
• Crisis intervention/respite care
• Safe crib programs
• School-based education
• Fatherhood initiatives
• Research

Public Education and Awareness
CTF’s public education and awareness campaigns include the prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), Not Even For A Minute Campaign to educate caretakers about the dangers of leaving children unattended in and around vehicles, Words Hurt focusing on the devastating impact of emotional abuse, Safe Crib/Safe Sleep, and realistic developmental expectations of children.  CTF’s prevention literature is available free of charge to Missouri residents.

CTF is a member of the National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds, an organization that provides training, technical assistance and peer consulting opportunities to state Children’s Trust Funds in order to strengthen their efforts to prevent child abuse.

Missouri Revised Statutes (CTF Board Created 210.170; Definitions 210.171; Board Powers and Duties 210.172; CTF Established 210.173)

View Historic Timeline of CTF 1983-Present (pdf) 

Annual Reports
CTF Annual Report – Fiscal Year 2009 (pdf)
CTF Annual Report – Fiscal Year 2008 (pdf)
CTF Annual Report – Fiscal Year 2007 (pdf)
CTF Annual Report – Fiscal Year 2006

For further information about our organization please contact CTF.

What is prevention?
What is child abuse and neglect?

Children’s Trust Fund
Harry S Truman Office Building, Room 840
301 West High Steet; P.O. Box 1641
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1641
573-751-5147 (phone)
573-751-0254 (fax)
ctf@oa.mo.gov

Staff:
Kirk Schreiber – Executive Director  [email Kirk]
Laura Malzner – Program Coordinator [email Laura]
Paula Cunningham – Public Affairs Coordinator [email Paula]
Alicia Whitson – Executive I (Office Manager) [Email Alicia]

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

"All Americans share a responsibility to protect our Nation’s children. During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we renew our commitment to prevent child abuse and neglect and to work to enable our children to realize their full potential.

Childhood is a formative time, and abuse can have devastating long-term effects on young lives. In order to provide a safe environment for our young people, parents must work to protect their children from the dangers that threaten them. Family members, educators, public officials, and faith-based and community organizations all play important roles in helping to ensure that children are safe and can grow surrounded by love and stability."

read more…

What is the scope of the child abuse problem in southwest Missouri? What are the actual numbers — and faces — behind the oft-heard statistic that there are more child abuse cases in Greene County than anywhere else in the state? In a special series of stories, the Springfield News-Leader investigates the issue through the voices of victims and advocates.

The Junior League of Springfield is expected to open the doors of Isabel’s House, the Crisis Nursery of the Ozarks, by the end of May. Winter storms delayed construction for the $1.6 million facility being built in the 2700 block of West Bennett Street.

Dana Carroll, administrator of early childhood services at Community Partnership of the Ozarks, said a crisis nursery will reduce southwest Missouri’s child abuse and neglect rates — a region with consistently high rates of documented child abuse.

Southwest Missouri placed 12,440 calls to the state’s child abuse and neglect hotline in 2005 from a total of 54,108 calls logged statewide. It was the highest regional call volume, exceeding St. Louis’ 11,614 and Kansas City’s 8,680. [News-Leader]

Gov. Matt Blunt has joined U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway in the official launch of the "I Know Better" (INOBTR) campaign to help stop Internet predators from targeting children. INOBTR is a new not-for-profit campaign that will provide Missourians with information about online predators with the use of innovative strategies to communicate with children about the dangers that can be found on the Internet. Parents will also be given the opportunity to attend workshops and seminars about the Internet, its related dangers, and effective parenting techniques.

Last year, Blunt signed legislation to create the Cyber Crime Grant Program. This year the governor is asking the General Assembly to double funding for this program and set aside an additional $250,000 for local law enforcement so that they can purchase the equipment they need to apprehend criminals who are using the Internet to prey on Missouri’s children. [UPI Photo/Bill Greenblatt]

Children younger than a year old are the ones most often found to be physically abused, neglected and killed by abuse in Missouri, according to the most recent numbers reported by the Department of Social Services. Missouri’s Child Abuse and Neglect annual report found that 32 children in the state died as a result of abuse or neglect in 2005. Of those, 47 percent were less than a year old. The greatest number of substantiated child abuse and neglect allegations — 585 of 8,158 total — also affected this age group.

Nationwide, infants accounted for 44 percent of child abuse deaths in 2003, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [Story by Aisha Sultan, STLtoday.com]

Cape Girardeau County’s children are faring worse than they did in 2001, according to the latest Missouri Kids Count report, released Thursday by Citizens for Missouri’s Children.

The number of Cape Girardeau County children receiving free or reduced price lunches at school, the number born to mothers without high school diplomas and the number involved in child abuse or neglect cases were all up in 2005, the year the new ratings are based on, the child advocacy group reported. The good news is that generally the county is better off than most in the state, but the county’s overall ranking fell from 25th last year to 30th this year. [Full story at Southeast Missourian]