H.R. No. 355 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, February 20, 2013, is Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas Day at the Capitol; and WHEREAS, Founded in 1994 with a charter membership of 13 local advocacy centers, Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas has grown to encompass more than 60 local centers across the state; its mission is to restore the lives of abused children by partnering with local agencies to investigate and prosecute child abuse; and WHEREAS, The organization offers training programs, conducts site visits, provides a case-tracking system, and operates a director mentoring program to help its local centers provide better and more comprehensive protection to the children in their care; it has also initiated One With Courage, a public awareness campaign that focuses on the courage required to talk about sexual abuse and seeks to change the way people respond to child abuse; and WHEREAS, Local advocacy centers bring together a variety of agencies and community organizations, including law enforcement, child protection services, and health professionals, to create a safe haven from which abused children can begin their journey to justice and healing, and all associated with the centers indeed deserve special recognition for their important work; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 20, 2013, as Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas Day at the Capitol and commend the group for its exemplary efforts to protect children and keep them safe, secure, and free from violence. Turner of Harris ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 355 was adopted by the House on February 18, 2013, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House