    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    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-

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    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 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.
    DONALD J. TRUMP