April is Child Abuse National Prevention Month. During April, Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) undertakes a multi-tiered effort to encourage Pennsylvanians to get a clearer picture of the tragedy of child abuse and what role they can play in preventing it.

PFSA believes that every citizen in Pennsylvania has a vital role to play in protecting our children. This center is designed to help you do just that! It’s a complex problem and the child welfare system is also complicated. They want to help you understand the issues, communicate with key legislative leaders and use your voice to ensure the safety of our most precious state resource – our children.

PFSA has been honored to work with members of the Task Force on Child Protection, the House Children and Youth Committee, the Senate Aging and Youth Committee and members of PA’s General Assembly to strengthen our Child Protective Services Law and advance efforts to keep PA’s children safe from child abuse. It has been an extraordinary time and the changes made will spare countless children from immeasurable harm. It has been a time of walking the talk and putting the safety of children above the convenience of individuals, institutions and organizations. We applaud the efforts of everyone who played a role in these changes; changes that collectively are steps toward changing our state’s culture toward how children are valued.

On average, more than 30 children die in Pennsylvania each year as a result of child abuse, most at the hands of a parent who gave them life. We need your help to turn this around; we simply can’t sit by when the equivalent of one elementary school classroom of children are killed annually. Join us in the fight to protect PA’s kids – they need you and so do we!

PFSA also work with legislators to bring their prevention message to citizens in their legislative districts. They recently met with constituents of State Rep. Kathy Watson in her Bucks County district to discuss changes to the CPSL, background checks and clearances and their community-based prevention program, the Front Porch Project.

They help shape, move and improve public policies to protect our kids. They’re a visible presence on Capitol Hill, leading the charge on laws requiring mandated reporter training and comprehensive background checks for educators, and championing PA’s long-needed package of bills revamping our state’s child protection laws. Learn about their history of championing improved protection for children, current policy debates and legislative initiatives: http://www.pa-fsa.org/Prevention-Month