Legislative Advocacy

Prevent Child Abuse Iowa's 2008 Legislative Agenda

Iowa child protection officials determined that 14,042 Iowa children suffered abuse in 2006 - a seven percent decline from the 15,060 children abused in 2005. To reduce the number of abused children further, Iowa should enhance efforts to prevent child abuse before it ever occurs. Prevent Child Abuse Iowa urges that the 2008 Legislature take these three critical steps toward that important end:

1. Enhance Iowa's Recent Investment in Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
The Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program (ICAPP) reduces the risk of child abuse by providing families and children with education, support, and respite child care. ICAPP services include child sexual abuse prevention (SAP) programs that primarily instruct children on how to recognize and respond to threats of sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2007, these SAP programs taught 2,651 classes to almost 45,000 children in 44 counties.

The 2007 legislature appropriated $200,000 to expand this SAP instruction, which is in 66 Iowa counties in fiscal year 2008. A key part of this expansion involves new programs in over 40 Iowa counties to teach parents and other adults how to better protect children from sexual abuse.

The legislature should enhance its investment in preventing child sexual abuse by expanding appropriations for child and adult instruction by an additional $100,000.

2. Enact an Income Tax Check-off for Iowa's Child Abuse Prevention Program
The Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program offers instruction and support for families in more than 90 Iowa counties. For only $1.2 million, ICAPP provided instruction and support to 12,500 adults and 56,000 children in 91 Iowa counties in fiscal year 2007. By contrast, Iowa spent at least $300 million treating the effects of child abuse.

Legislation filed in 2007 (HF 723) would enact an income tax check-off with proceeds going to ICAPP. This new check-off would make available an estimated $70,000 in additional funding for ICAPP, beginning in fiscal year 2010.

The legislature should expand investment in child abuse prevention services by enacting an income tax check-off to support ICAPP.

3. Create a Statewide Shaken Baby Prevention Program
On average, four Iowa children die each year from being shaken/slammed by a parent or other caretaker. Another two or three dozen children are also severely harmed by this cause, with hospital treatment costing approximately $100,000 for each child.

Several states have enacted a variety of programs to prevent this shaking/slamming of young children. Current legislation (SF 349) would create a statewide shaken baby prevention program in Iowa. This new program would provide instruction for thousands of new parents and other caretakers on the harm from shaking/slamming children. The program would also help parents learn how to manage severe stress and where to get help to relieve it.

The legislature should enact and fund a statewide shaken baby prevention program.

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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