[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 21, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PREVENT CHILD ABUSE--N.J. APRIL BLUE RIBBON CAMPAIGN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 21, 2001

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleagues that 
the month of April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Throughout the 
month, thousands and perhaps millions of individuals from around the 
country who are working to reduce child abuse will be wearing blue 
ribbons to draw attention to this monumental national concern.
  Prevent Child Abuse--New Jersey is undertaking the blue ribbon 
campaign in my state with a kickoff event on March 28.
  This organization serves as a national model for how a statewide 
group can make a difference in combatting a serious social problem.
  By establishing local partnerships, PCA-NJ helps communities, 
strengthens families and supports parents through parenting programs, 
education and training, advocacy and public awareness programs.
  Valuable PCA-NJ programs include the Parent Linking Project, which 
provides comprehensive services to teen parents and their children at 
school; Healthy Families, under which intensive, home visitation 
services are provided to overburdened parents of newborns; Every Person 
Influences Children, which sponsors parent education workshops for 
parents and training for teachers to incorporate life skills and 
character education into daily curricula, and the Adolescent Pregnancy 
Prevention Initiative, which undertakes case management and counseling 
programs for teens to build self esteem and help them make healthy 
choices.
  In addition to the Blue Ribbon Campaign, PCA-NJ also sponsors many 
public education and community awareness efforts, including a speakers' 
bureau, loaned materials under the New Jersey Parenting Education 
Resource Center (PERC); and a web site and 800 number for information 
and other resources.
  Mr. Speaker, in New Jersey, each year, over 80,000 calls are made to 
the N.J. Division of Youth and Family Services by concerned citizens 
and professionals reporting suspected child abuse and neglect. This 
figure for just one state gives us an idea of the extent of this 
shameful problem in our country--the most advanced, educated and 
prosperous nation in the world. It is my hope that drawing attention to 
this problem, as we are doing in New Jersey and around the country with 
the Blue Ribbon Campaign, will eventually and dramatically reduce the 
incidence of child abuse.]

                          ____________________