KidsFirst

Child Abuse Prevention Summit

Missouri KidsFirst, along with Mercy Health Plans and the Fraternal Order of Eagles of Columbia, Missouri invite child abuse prevention leaders from around the state to attend our 1st Annual Child Abuse Prevention Summit, May 14, 2008, at the Marriott Courtyard in Columbia, Missouri.  Registration can be made on-line.  Jim Hmurovich, Prevent Child Abuse America President & CEO, will be the keynote speaker for this one-day Summit.

9th National Conference on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention

The National Children’s Advocacy Center will host the 9th National Conference on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention at the Marriott Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 26-28, 2008.

A Brighter Future for Children and Youth 2005-2008

The Women’s Division offers grants up to $6,000 for projects and programs that address the needs of children and young people between the ages of 5 to 18 years of age in the areas of peacemaking, anti-abuse and non-violence.  For more, visit United Methodist Women, Women’s Division

North Central Missouri Child Advocacy Center's Dinner Theater

The North Central Missouri Children's Advocacy Center held a dinner theater on April 11th and 12th at Pleasant View R-6 School.  Over 150 people attended the play and over $2500 was raised to support the Children's Advocacy Center.  Full story at ncmcac.typepad.com

Pope meets with victims of clergy sex abuse

Pope Benedict XVI prayed with tearful victims of clergy sex abuse in a chapel Thursday, an extraordinary gesture from a pontiff who has made atoning for the great shame of the U.S. church the cornerstone of his first papal trip to America.  Full story on msnbc.com

Child Maltreatment Surveillance: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements

Child maltreatment is a significant social and public health problem in the United States (U.S.).  In 2006, child protective services confirmed that approximately 905,000 children in the U.S. were victims of maltreatment and 1,530 died from abuse or neglect.  Unfortunately, these numbers likely underestimate the magnitude of the problem in this country. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is pleased to announce the publication of Child Maltreatment Surveillance: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements.  This document provides conceptual definitions of child maltreatment, presents associated terms, and recommends data elements for voluntary use by the public health community in the development of surveillance systems.   Hard copies of the publication can be ordered on-line at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/pubs/ncipc.aspx.   An electronic copy is available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/CMP/CMP-Surveillance.htm.

GO BLUE T-shirts

Thank you for your support in purchasing our GO BLUE t-shirts.  We have sold out of all of our GO BLUE t-shirts.  Although shirts are sold out, please show your support by wearing blue on April 18, 2008, for GO BLUE Day.  We will be selling these shirts, again, next year.  If you would like to be notified of GO BLUE merchandise for next year, please fill out our GO_BLUE_campaign_form.

Child Abuse Prevention Summit

Missouri KidsFirst will be hosting a Child Abuse Prevention Summit on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at the Marriott Courtyard in Columbia, Missouri.  Missouri KidsFirst is the lead agency for the new Missouri Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America.  As Missouri KidsFirst takes on this new role, we want to assure we understand the needs of local child abuse prevention agencies to provide the best services possible.  For a copy of the Save the Date card, click here .  More details will be shared soon.

2nd Annual Keep Kids Safe and Families Strong Walk/Run

The Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis is hosting its 2nd Annual Keep Kids Safe and Families Strong Walk/Run on Saturday, April 12, 2008, starting at 10:00 a.m. at Forest Park in St. Louis, MO.  You can register on-line at www.stlouiscac.org or call (314) 516-6798.

Forensic Evaluation Training

The National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) is offering a Forensic Evaluation Training for graduate level mental health clinicians who are interested in conducting extended forensic evaluations of children when sexual abuse is suspected. This training is appropriate for both clinicians with some experience and those just beginning this type of work. It is not designed for front line investigative interviewers who conduct one-time interviews.

The training will be held over three full days on April 28-30, 2008, July 28-30, 2008 and November 12-14, 2008.  The fee for each training session is $549.  Participants are responsible for all transportation, lodging and some meals (lunches will be provided). 

Gene Variant Predicts PTSD After Childhood Abuse

A new study reports that the development of adult post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can involve a significant interaction between childhood abuse and variants of FKBP5, a gene that regulates glucocorticoid activity.  The study found no significant interactions between the FKBP5 variants and trauma other than child abuse.  Full report at The Journal of the American Medical Association