Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program

In 1982, the Iowa Legislature established a statewide program to prevent child abuse. Called the Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program ("ICAPP"), this program has received appropriations annually since its inception. In fiscal year 2002-2005, these appropriations totaled $981,000. To these appropriated funds, beginning in 2005, is added more than $200,000 in fees collected for birth certificate registrations. The appropriated funds go to the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS), which then contracts with a private agency to administer the funds and provide technical assistance. From the program's start, DHS has contracted with Prevent Child Abuse Iowa to administer the state's program.

Local child abuse prevention councils throughout Iowa carry out the programs that the state appropriations fund. Each year, Prevent Child Abuse Iowa issues requests for proposals to which the local councils respond after determining which programs would best address the needs in their communities. An independent grant review committee evaluates these proposals and recommends how the state funds should be distributed. Their recommendations go to the Governor's Advisory Council on the Child Abuse Prevention Program, which makes the final decision on what funding councils receive.

For fiscal year 2008, local councils have received grants to develop and operate programs in one or more of five major areas in 92 Iowa counties: crisis nursery, parent education, respite care, sexual abuse prevention, and young parent support.

The table below summarizes the services provided by the local prevention councils in fiscal year 2007:

ICAPP FY 2009 Request for Proposals

Completed proposals are due May 2, 2008, no later than 4:30 pm (postmarked by April 30, 2008).

Questions? Contact Amber Russell, arussell@pcaiowa.org, 515.244.2200, or 1-800-CHILDREN.

RFP

     Instructions
     Proposal

Supporting Tools

     Child Abuse Data
     06-07 ICAPP Service Evaluation Report

     Grant Review Worksheet
     Child-Focused Sexual Abuse Prevention Best Practices- Minimum Requirements

Sample Outcome Measurement Planning Charts
     Crisis Nursery
     Parent Education

FY 2009 Service Evaluations
    Crisis Nursery: English, Spanish
    Parent Education: English, Spanish
    Respite Care: English, Spanish
    Sexual Abuse Prevention – child instruction: English, Spanish
    Sexual Abuse Prevention – adult instruction: English, Spanish
    Nurturing Healthy Sexual Development: English, Spanish
    Young Parent Support: English, Spanish

FY 2009 Quarterly Report Forms
     Council Development
     Crisis Nursery
     Drama Troupe
     Parent Education
     Public Awareness
     Respite Care
     Sexual Abuse Prevention
     Young Parent Support

Voucher:
    Word voucher
    Excel voucher

*Please make sure that your county's name is on all forms when you return them.

ICAPP FY 2008 Forms
     Instructions
     Contract Expectations

Family Information Form (for young parent support projects only):
     English Form
     Spanish Form

Quarterly Report Forms:
     Council Development
     Crisis Nursery
     Drama Troupe
     Parent Education
     Public Awareness
     Respite Care
     Sexual Abuse Prevention
     Young Parent Support

Service Evaluations:
     Crisis Nursery: English, Spanish
     Parent Education: English, Spanish
     Respite Care: English, Spanish
     Sexual Abuse Prevention – child instruction: English, Spanish
     Sexual Abuse Prevention – adult instruction: English, Spanish
     Nurturing Healthy Sexual Development: English, Spanish
     Young Parent Support: English, Spanish

Voucher:
     Word voucher
     Excel voucher

     *Please make sure that your county's name is on all forms when you return them.

Annual Service Reports

PCA Iowa's annual reports on ICAPP are available. The annual report provides general program information and service statistics. The annual service evaluation provides county- and program-specific information about participant demographics, outcomes and feedback (caution: the size of this document may overwhelm dial-up connections).

Quarterly Reports

After the end of each quarter throughout the state fiscal year (i.e., in October, January, April, and July), PCA Iowa prepares a report summarizing the year-to-date services provided by councils in all of the program areas. The most recent quarterly report is now available. Subsequent reports will be available throughout the year.

Please note that it is available in .pdf format, which requires Acrobat Reader to display.

Click on the Adobe Acrobat graphic to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

ICAPP Service Descriptions

Crisis Nursery

Iowa's crisis nursery programs provide a temporary place for children ages birth to 12 years old to stay during times that their parents face overwhelming circumstances or emergencies. The programs are available to families 24 hours a day, seven days per week, for up to 72 hours at a time. Programs use licensed day care centers or registered day care homes for the actual provision of child care. Their staff conduct intake interviews, counsel parents, and arrange placements for the children. They may also provide transportation to centers and travel to pick up children.

ICAPP-funded Crisis Nursery Services are available in these counties:
Buchanan, Carroll, Fayette, Linn, Marshall, and Washington.

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Parent Education

Parent education programs teach families through both in-home and group-based instruction. Programs focus on the needs of both the parents and their children and work with families to increase their healthy interactions. They help families improve their communication and teach parents effective ways to manage their children's behavior. Programs also discuss child development and age appropriate expectations for children.

ICAPP-funded parent education programs are available in these counties:
Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cedar, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Decatur, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Howard, Ida, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Kossuth, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Lyon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monroe, Muscatine, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Sioux, Story, Union, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winneshiek, and Woodbury.

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Respite Care

Respite care programs provide parents with temporary relief from care giving responsibilities, providing an "out" before the stresses of parenting build up and overwhelm a family. Services can be scheduled for set times or, in some programs, obtained on short notice. Respite care services also offer children care from trained staff in a safe environment and the opportunity to socialize with other children.

ICAPP-funded respite care programs are available in these counties: Adams, Audubon, Carroll, Clay, Clayton, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Greene, Guthrie, Humboldt, Linn, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Sac, Union, Warren, and Wright.

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Sexual Abuse Prevention

Sexual abuse prevention programs teach children how to protect themselves from sexual abuse and teach adults how to keep children safe from abuse. Instruction for children typically involves teaching them the appropriate names of their private body parts, discussing rules about who is allowed to touch their private parts and for what purpose, and helping children develop plans for keeping their bodies safe. Adult education, provided in home-based or group-based settings, teaches adults about sexual abuse and that the primary risk for sexual abuse comes from adults known to the family, and helps them identify actions they can take to keep children safe.

ICAPP-funded sexual abuse prevention programs are available in these counties: Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Butler, Carroll, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Davis, Decatur, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Floyd, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hancock, Hardin, Howard, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Lucas, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Montgomery, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Scott, Story, Tama, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Winneshiek, Woodbury, Worth, and Wright.

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Young Parent Support

Young parent support programs provide parenting education on topics like child development, age-appropriate expectations and discipline. They also provide the support that many young parents are missing through meetings with others in similar circumstances. And finally, they connect participants to concrete, community supports to ease stress, such as rent assistance, food, and clothing.

ICAPP-funded Young Parent Support programs are available in these counties:
Appanoose, Benton, Buchanan, Calhoun, Crawford, Davis, Des Moines, Fremont, Henry, Iowa, Jefferson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Marshall, Page, Pottawattamie, Sac, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Webster, Winneshiek, and Woodbury.

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For general comments and questions, please contact:

Prevent Child Abuse Iowa
505 Fifth Avenue, Suite 900
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
Phone: 515-244-2200
Toll Free: 800-237-1815
Fax: 515-280-7835
Email:

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