SLS 24RS-619 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 13
BY SENATOR FESI
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH. Designates Thursday, April 11, 2024, as Child Advocacy
Center Day in Louisiana.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To designate Thursday, April 11, 2024, as Child Advocacy Center Day in Louisiana.
3 WHEREAS, Louisiana's Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) have made valuable
4 contributions to the state and have significantly improved the lives of children and families;
5 and
6 WHEREAS, April is recognized nationally as Child Abuse Prevention Month,
7 highlighting the importance of protecting children from all forms of abuse and neglect; and
8 WHEREAS, alarming statistics reveal that one in ten children will experience sexual
9 abuse before reaching age eighteen, emphasizing the critical need for resources and support
10 systems for victims; and
11 WHEREAS, Louisiana CACs provide essential services to over 7,000 children
12 annually across all sixty-four parishes of the state, offering assistance in cases involving
13 physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, human trafficking, and first-hand exposure to
14 domestic violence and homicide; and
15 WHEREAS, Louisiana CACs provide education and awareness efforts for the
16 prevention, identification, and reporting of child abuse, and in 2023 alone, CACs in
17 Louisiana reached over 58,000 professionals, children, and community members; and
18 WHEREAS, the purpose of Louisiana's CACs is to provide every child victim
Page 1 of 2 SR NO. 13
SLS 24RS-619 ORIGINAL
1 referred to a CAC with a comfortable, child-friendly environment for forensic interviewing,
2 victim advocacy, mental health, and other services in order to reduce further trauma to the
3 child and promote healing; and
4 WHEREAS, the collaborative efforts of multidisciplinary teams within CACs are
5 essential in coordinating comprehensive responses to child abuse cases; those teams
6 typically include representatives of District Attorney offices, the Department of Children and
7 Family Services, various law enforcement agencies, medical and mental health providers,
8 and victim advocate groups; and
9 WHEREAS, the evidence-based practices employed by CACs have been proven to
10 enhance child well-being, improve outcomes for children and families, and result in
11 significant cost savings to taxpayers; and
12 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Alliance of Children's Advocacy Centers is the state
13 chapter established to empower, collaborate, and advocate for Louisiana's CACs, offering
14 vital training, technical assistance, data collection, and advocacy; and
15 WHEREAS, with eleven centers who are currently full accredited members in good
16 standing with the National Children's Alliance, and three centers on the path to national
17 accreditation, Louisiana's CACs are a part of a network of over 900 centers across the nation
18 which serve over 350,000 children annually.
19 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
20 does hereby designate Thursday, April 11, 2024, as Child Advocacy Center Day in
21 Louisiana, recognizing the vital role of Child Advocacy Centers in safeguarding the well-
22 being of children and families across the state.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
24 Louisiana Alliance of Children's Advocacy Centers in appreciation for their tireless efforts
25 in advocating for and supporting Child Advocacy Centers throughout Louisiana.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Dawn Romero Watson.
DIGEST
SR 13 Original 2024 Regular Session Fesi
Designates Thursday, April 11, 2024, as Child Advocacy Center Day in Louisiana.
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