8/15/2024 Join us in shaping Louisiana’s Future: Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund State Caucus Invites Community Participation in Strategic Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention PlanningRead NowPRESS RELEASE - August 14, 2024, Baton Rouge, LA
Louisiana- The Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund is requesting all citizens, community leaders, faith -based leaders, non-profit and civic organizations, educators, law enforcement officers, medical and legal professionals, social service groups, and other stake holders across the state to join us in a series of vital meetings in your area. Your voice is crucial as we embark on a five- year journey to enhance and implement strategic efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect across Louisiana. The face of child abuse and neglect is constantly evolving, with emerging challenges such as internet safety, drug-addicted newborns, trafficking, and school bullying. In light of the current economic stressors- including unemployment, loss of savings, and home foreclosures, the need for evidence – based child abuse and neglect prevention has never been more critical. These stressors often become tipping points, making children more vulnerable to abuse and neglect. The Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund’s mission has always been to intervene as early as possible, reducing the severity of injuries and decreasing the number of fatalities among Louisiana’s children. To achieve this, we are developing a comprehensive state plan with input from citizens, providers, and stakeholders most concerned about child abuse and neglect prevention in their regions. Community focused meetings will be held across the nine regions of the state, where participants will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of a customized prevention plan for their area. Information from these areas will determine the regional priorities for the funding of Children’s Trust Fund programs. We encourage everyone to sign up for the meeting in their area. For those that are not able to attend, we will host two online sessions to ensure broad participation in making a difference for Louisiana’s children- every voice matters! REGION 8: August 19 - Shreveport Area The Harbor on Knight Street Building 6, 3004 Knight Street, Shreveport, La - 9 am REGION 9: August 20 - Monroe Area West Ouachita Branch Library, 188 La-546, West Monroe, La 9:30 am REGION 7: August 21 - Alexandria Area Northwestern State University, CENLA Campus Meeting Room to be determined, 1410 Neel Kearby Blvd, Alexandria, LA - 9 am REGION 6: September 9 - Lake Charles Area Family & Youth Counseling Agency, 220 Louis Street in Lake Charles, La - 9 am (Use Entrance A) REGION 5: September 10 - Lafayette Area Lafayette Public Library Main Branch, 301 W Congress St, Lafayette, La – 9:30 am (Second Floor meeting room, left off the elevator) REGION 2: September 11 - Baton Rouge Area DCFS -Iberville Building Room 1-129, 627 North 4th Street, Baton Rouge, La – 9am IMPORTANT Parking Info - Download PDF - REGION 3: September 17 - Covington Area St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office, 65278 La - 434 in Lacombe, La - 9 am REGION 1: September 18 - Orleans/Jefferson Area Plaquemines Community CARE Centers Foundation, 115 Keating Dr., Belle Chasse, La - 9 am REGION 4: September 19 - Thibodaux Area Terrebonne Parish Main Library, 151 Library Drive Houma, La - 9:30 am Zoom 1*: October 1 - North Louisiana Zoom 2*: October 2 - South Louisiana Questions regarding meetings -Contact Team Dynamics at 985-624-3514 or email: [email protected]. Questions regarding the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund- Contact Ursula Anderson, Executive Director at 225-219-7560 or email: [email protected]. The mission of the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund is to prevent child abuse and neglect among Louisiana's children and families through building strong cross-sector partnerships and through increased child safety public awareness.
0 Comments
Sign Up Now to Attend a Caucus for Children!We want to make sure we get lots of people participating in our state plan development. Please mark your calendar for the session in your area and bring a friend! Download a copy of the flyer and share it. Sign up: Click here.
The 35th edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT® Data Book examines the unprecedented declines in student math and reading proficiency brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on education. The latest data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals that between 2019 and 2022, fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math scores plummeted, representing decades of lost progress. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for action to address the growing academic disparities among U.S. students.
Today's students, who will comprise America's future workforce, are ill-prepared for the high-level reading, math and problem-solving skills required in a competitive global economy. The failure to adequately prepare our children will have dire consequences for their futures and for the economic vitality of our nation. LEARN MORE ABOUT PANDEMIC LEARNING LOSS AND CASEY'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS NATIONAL TRENDS IN CHILD WELL-BEINGIn 2022, as COVID-19 restrictions eased, the impact of the pandemic on child well-being became evident. Six indicators worsened between 2019 and 2022, including educational achievement and the child and teen death rate. Between 2019 and 2021, the percentage of children scoring proficient or above in reading and math declined sharply. While this trend may have stabilized in 2022, the data indicate a significant setback in educational attainment. The child and teen death rate also remained elevated in 2022, with 17.0 deaths per 100,000 children and adolescents, compared to 14.7 in 2019. However, some positive trends emerged:
These positive changes demonstrate how effective policies that address the root causes of challenges can contribute to significant improvements and create a brighter future for young people. TRENDS IN RACIAL INEQUITIESRacial inequities in America persist, with American Indian/Alaska Native, Black and Latino children facing significant disparities. Nearly all well-being indicators show disparate outcomes by race and ethnicity, with American Indian/Alaska Native children and Black children experiencing the lowest well-being levels. Generations of inequity and discrimination contribute to these disparities. Black children have higher rates of single-parent households and poverty, while American Indian/Alaska Native children are more likely to lack health insurance and live in resource-limited neighborhoods. Latino children have higher rates of obesity and live in households where the head may lack a high school diploma. And despite overall better outcomes for Asian and Pacific Islander children, disaggregated data reveal significant disparities within this population. Burmese, Mongolian and Thai children experience higher rates of poverty and lack of high school diplomas in their households. Today, children of color constitute the majority of the nation's children, highlighting the importance of ensuring their success for the future of America. Continue to Annie E. Casey Kids Count Data Book website. Social media has been fully integrated into the lives of most adolescents in the U.S., raising concerns among parents, physicians, public health officials, and others about its effect on mental and physical health. Over the past year, an ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examined the research and produced this detailed report exploring that effect and laying out recommendations for policymakers, regulators, industry, and others in an effort to maximize the good and minimize the bad. Focus areas include platform design, transparency and accountability, digital media literacy among young people and adults, online harassment, and supporting researchers.
Link to report. The 2023 KidsCount Data Book was released June 14, 2023 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. You can read or download it here.
|