[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 65 (Thursday, April 4, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 13489-13490]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06807]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 65 / Thursday, April 4, 2019 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 13489]]


                Proclamation 9854 of March 29, 2019

                
National Child Abuse Prevention Month, 2019

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Every child deserves the security of a stable, loving, 
                and nurturing home. During National Child Abuse 
                Prevention Month, we recognize the importance of all 
                Americans working together each day in defense of the 
                most vulnerable among us--our children. We must make 
                every effort to ensure that they are treated with 
                dignity and respect, and have the opportunity to pursue 
                their dreams in secure and healthy environments.

                The relationships that children have with parents, 
                family members, teachers, and other caregivers 
                profoundly shape their lives. When they are subjected 
                to abuse and neglect, they are exposed to toxic stress 
                that can disrupt early brain development and increase 
                the risk of depression, suicide, substance abuse, 
                developmental disabilities, future violence, juvenile 
                delinquency, and other unhealthy behaviors. These and 
                other devastating effects of child abuse can last a 
                lifetime, and can even affect future generations.

                As a Nation, we must do everything within our power to 
                stop child abuse and neglect before they occur. The 
                best defense against these menaces is a strong family 
                led by loving and caring parents. My Administration has 
                a broad vision for strengthening families, which 
                includes raising awareness, focusing on prevention, and 
                working to help parents and children thrive. For this 
                reason, I signed into law the Family First Prevention 
                Services Act--an important step in helping move child 
                welfare to a more prevention-based system. This 
                legislation increases the support available to at-risk 
                families through services such as mental health and 
                substance abuse treatment and parenting skill-based 
                programs, so that more children may remain safely in 
                their homes and communities.

                We cannot lose sight of the importance of the entire 
                community in preventing child abuse and neglect. It is 
                critically important for our children to have parents 
                who care for their physical, intellectual, and 
                emotional needs. But we also must acknowledge the 
                friends, neighbors, educators, and faith leaders who 
                help in promoting the well-being of children. We are 
                especially grateful for foster and adoptive parents who 
                graciously open their homes and lives to children in 
                need of love and support. And we extend our deepest 
                respect and gratitude to the professionals, volunteers, 
                and organizations who work tirelessly to protect at-
                risk children and to care for those who have tragically 
                experienced the traumas of abuse or neglect.

                We pray for all those who have suffered from the 
                terrors of child abuse and neglect and who continue to 
                suffer from its devastating psychological and physical 
                impacts. We honor the courageous survivors of abuse and 
                neglect and hold in our hearts those cruelly taken from 
                us. We strengthen our resolve to eradicate abuse and 
                neglect from our homes and communities, and we pledge 
                our unwavering commitment to preserving the innocence 
                and safety of our Nation's children. Let us all strive 
                each day to build a brighter future for them and for 
                our country.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim April 2019 as 
                National Child Abuse Prevention Month. I call upon all 
                Americans to invest in

[[Page 13490]]

                the lives of our Nation's children, to be aware of 
                their safety and well-being, and to support efforts 
                that promote their psychological, physical, and 
                emotional development.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                third.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2019-06807
Filed 4-3-19; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F9-P