| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 544 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, While children are vital to our state's future |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | success, prosperity, and quality of life, they are also the most |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | vulnerable members of society; and |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, In 2018, there were more than 66,000 Texas |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | children who were confirmed as victims of child abuse and |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | neglect, and more than 20,600 Texas children were removed from |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | their homes as a result of abuse; in addition, there were 211 |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | child fatalities due to abuse and neglect; and |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, In the past five years, 75 percent of child |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | fatalities due to abuse and neglect occurred in children who were |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | three years old or younger; and |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, The short-term and long-term costs of child abuse |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | and neglect incurred through medical treatment, foster care, law |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | enforcement proceedings, mental health care, special education, |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | juvenile delinquency, and lost productivity are estimated at |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | $830,928 per victim; these costs to Texans amounted to over $55 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | billion for child maltreatment in 2018; and |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Child maltreatment also carries enormous negative |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | societal consequences, including mental illness, substance |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | abuse, developmental delays, teen pregnancy, academic |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | underachievement, criminal behavior, unemployment, poverty, and |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | chronic disease; and |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, All children deserve to have the safe, stable, |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | nurturing homes and communities that are necessary for fostering |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | their healthy growth and development; and |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Child abuse is a state and community problem, and |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | successfully protecting children depends upon investments in |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | evidence-based prevention and the support and encouragement that |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | citizens throughout the community offer parents and other |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | caregivers; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | Legislature, hereby recognize that April is National Child Abuse |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | Prevention Month; and, be it further |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate call upon all citizens, elected |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | officials, community agencies, religious organizations, medical |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | facilities, schools, and businesses to increase their |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | participation in efforts to protect children from abuse and |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | neglect and to advocate for investments in child abuse prevention |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | and in the health, safety, and livelihood of all Texans. |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | West |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | ________________________________ |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | President of the Senate |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | I hereby certify that the |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | the Senate on April 8, 2019. |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | ________________________________ |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | ________________________________ |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | Member, Texas Senate |
|---|