WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.Guest Editorial: Child Abuse

Guest Editorial: Child Abuse

Posted: Updated:
  • Editorials

  • Friday, May 18 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-18 23:20:53 GMT
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident. The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident.  The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are the other motorists on the roadways.
  • Tuesday, May 15 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-15 23:20:31 GMT
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments: "If the budget is passed at this severely cut rate, the shortage of physicians, hospitals, and clinics
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments:
  • Tuesday, May 1 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-01 23:20:35 GMT
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"
  • Friday, April 20 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-04-20 23:20:42 GMT
    For the next sixty seconds I want you to give yourself permission to push pause on whatever you are doing and listen and reflect for a moment. I did this recently after reading an article titled "Top five
  • Wednesday, April 18 2012 7:27 PM EDT2012-04-18 23:27:31 GMT
    Representative Christopher John England (Tuscaloosa) has sponsored a bill in the Alabama legislature that would allow convicted felons of drug crimes to receive food stamps under certain circumstances.
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and events will be scheduled throughout the state to bring public awareness and education to the citizens of Alabama. 

The Alabama Department of Child Abuse Prevention funded 175 programs last year at the community level to prevent child maltreatment and to strengthen Alabama families. 

The direct and indirect cost of child abuse to our state annually is approximately $520 M dollars.  48 Infants died last year from Unsafe Sleeping environments; the number 2 cause of death in the birth to 3 age range, and the #3 cause of death was from shaking babies. 

Given the current economic atmosphere the hometown agencies will need to be supported with local funding as well as volunteer time.  

Last year alone there were over 200,000 volunteer hours donated in these 175 community programs aimed at the prevention of child maltreatment across the state; this is equal to 4M dollars in real money. 

In these times of economic hardship we must protect the most vulnerable segment of our population, our children.  So please join us, the Alabama Department of Child Abuse Prevention and our community programs, give generously of your time and talent to protect our most precious resource, Alabama's children.

Copyright 2011 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.