Long-time advocates for children, Mayor Cedric Glover and Cheryl Landrieu, wife of Lieutenant Governor, Mitch Landrieu, will serve as the Northwest Region Honorary Chair and the Statewide Honorary Chair, respectively, for the 2009 Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign. Efforts to secure sponsors and planting locations have begun and will culminate in April 2009 for Child Abuse Prevention Month. The pinwheels serve as a demonstration of the fast-growing belief that we can prevent – not just respond to – child abuse and neglect. Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana (PCA Louisiana) is working to have over 25,000 pinwheels planted on many street corners at local businesses, hospitals and organizations throughout the state in April.

“Having been an active supporter of Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana’s mission and the work they do here in the Northwest Region, I am honored that I can serve in a role that will help to bring more awareness for the prevention of child abuse and neglect,” stated Mayor Cedric Glover. “As a region, we must do all that we can to keep our children safe and ensure that our families have the necessary resources and education to raise their children in loving environments.”

“I am so excited to be a part of the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, and the implications it can have on our state,” stated Cheryl Landrieu. “As a parent, I am committed to ensuring that all of Louisiana’s children are safe and presented with all of the opportunities that our state and country have to offer. The Pinwheel Gardens will help to remind everyone that our children deserve happy, healthy and safe childhoods.”

The Pinwheels for Prevention movement is bringing the belief in prevention to life in a number of ways in communities nationwide. The movement is based on the belief that we must do more than simply respond to cases of abuse through prosecution and intervention – we need to provide programs and policies that focus on the child development process, engage communities and create conditions that allow parents to be the kinds of parents they want to be. These programs and policies include strategies such as home visiting, parent education, mutual self-help support, mental health services and substance abuse treatment.

“We are thrilled to have Mayor Glover and Mrs. Landrieu join the campaign in such important and visible roles. This is the 2^nd year of the campaign and with their leadership and voice, I am certain that not only will there be a great increase in awareness focusing on the prevention of child abuse and neglect, but much needed dollars will be raised to support our efforts both in the northwest region and statewide,” stated Anna Fogle, President/CEO, PCA Louisiana.

A recent longitudinal study of more than 18,000 adults shows that adverse childhood experiences have a direct impact on risk factors for death later in life. These risk factors include severe obesity, illicit drug use, depression, smoking, suicide attempt, alcoholism, injected drug use, and high risk sexual behavior. This is the largest study of its kind ever done to examine the health and social effects of adverse childhood experiences over the lifespan.

In 2006 nationwide, an estimated 3.6 million children were accepted by state and local Child Protective Services as alleged victims of child maltreatment for investigation or assessment and 23,911 allegations were made in Louisiana in 2007. These numbers encompass all forms of abuse and neglect. We also know that 81% of the children killed in the United States were under the age of four and 79% of the perpetrators for any form of abuse were the parents.

Businesses, organizations and individuals are encouraged to contact PCA Louisiana to sponsor a “planting” of a pinwheel garden to show their support of our programs that help to prevent child abuse and neglect in Louisiana. Sponsorships range from $250 - $5,000. Please email loren@pcal.org for more information or visit our website at www.pcal.org.

ABOUT PINWHEELS FOR PREVENTION

Pinwheels for Prevention is the grassroots signature campaign for PCA America and its 43 chapters nationwide. The pinwheel has come to symbolize a person’s commitment to truly preventative measures, such as home visitation services, parent education and the overall re-prioritization of our policies, programs and resources to ensure that every child in the United States is provided with a healthy, safe and nurturing home and an involved, supportive and caring community.

ABOUT PREVENT CHILD ABUSE LOUISIANA

Started in 1986, PCA Louisiana is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to preventing the abuse and neglect of our state's children. Our mission, “To prevent the abuse and neglect of our state's children” is carried out through the development, implementation and support of child abuse prevention activities in Louisiana. PCA Louisiana programs, listed below, work to stop the cycle of child abuse:

• KIDLINE, 1-800-CHILDREN – a statewide, telephone service offering crisis intervention, support, parenting information and referrals

• Kids Are Worth It! ^® Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect – annual state-wide conference attracts social workers, child protection workers, law enforcement officials, day care workers, teachers and others who work with children to learn the latest in prevention and treatment for child abuse and neglect.

• Nurturing the Families of Louisiana™ -- a structured, weekly program designed to help parents and children reduce dysfunction and build healthy, positive interactions

• Internet Safety – launched in May 2007 in partnership with Cox Communications and the Louisiana Attorney General’s office to provide a state-wide education initiative to keep children safe from predators on the Internet

ABOUT PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AMERICA

PCA America, founded in Chicago in 1972, is the nation’s leading organization working solely to prevent the abuse and neglect or our nation’s children. Through its chapters in 43 states and its voluntary home visitation services provided by Healthy Families America^® in more than 400 communities nationwide, PCA America helps provide healthy, safe and nurturing experiences for more than 100,000 families every year.

For more information, please visit www.pcal.org, www.preventchildabuse.org and www.healthyfamiliesamerica.org.