CA SCR134

Acknowledges April 2024 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in California and encourages residents to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their communities and schools.

Notes that in 2022, 50,869 California children were found to be victims of child abuse or neglect, with 164 children dying as a result.

Highlights that maltreated children are 77 percent more likely to need special education and 59 percent more likely to be arrested as juveniles compared to non-maltreated peers.

Emphasizes that long-term health care costs for adult survivors of childhood abuse are 21 percent higher than for non-victims, and estimates California's total economic burden from child maltreatment could reach $284 billion annually.

Encourages community-based prevention services as a cost-effective alternative to addressing the emotional and physical damage from child abuse and neglect.