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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Child Abuse Prevention The Focus Of DOH Event

By Florida Department of Health, Office of Communications

April 08, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2015

Contact: Communications Office
(850) 245-4111

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION FOCUS OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EVENT

TALLAHASSEE—April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Florida Department of Health is proud to join state agencies and community partners in supporting the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign and working to ensure all children have the opportunity for healthy growth and development. This morning nearly 100 department employees came together with representatives from Ounce of Prevention to bring awareness to the harsh reality of child abuse in the state of Florida and across the nation.

"We must show our commitment every day to making our communities safe for our children," said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. "Our goal is to ensure that every child in our state has the opportunity for healthy growth and development, without the threat of child abuse and neglect."

Pinwheels for Prevention is a national campaign creating a community-wide commitment to healthy child development, and it is implemented annually in Florida by Prevent Child Abuse Florida, the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Child abuse can include mental or emotional abuse, or neglect. The Florida Department of Health's Children's Medical Services, Child Protection Teams (CPTs) are medically-directed, multidisciplinary, community-based programs, which provide assessments that supplement the child protective investigation activities of the DCF and designated sheriff offices. Each CPT is led by board-certified pediatricians with expertise in abuse and neglect. CPT staff also provides training for child protection investigators, other community providers of child welfare services, emergency room staff, and other medical providers.

If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, please call the Florida Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873).

To learn more about the Child Protection Team visit www.floridahealth.gov/AlternateSites/CMS-Kids/families/child_protection_safety/child_protection_teams.html.

To learn more about the department's efforts to improve the lives of Florida's children, visit www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/childrens-health/index.html.

To learn more about Pinwheels for Prevention visit www.ounce.org/CAPMonth.html.

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The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. The department is recognizing 125 years of public health in Florida with educational opportunities and events. Please visit www.flhealth125.gov for more information.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.floridahealth.gov.

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