| |
|
|
 |
| |
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2011
Contact: Lonnie Parizek
Senator Nan Rich Receives Daniel Webster Leadership Award
|
Ft. Lauderdale--Healthy Families Florida awarded Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich the 2011 Daniel Webster Leadership award for outstanding leadership in advocating for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. This annual leadership award is presented on behalf of Republican Congressman Daniel Webster, who, as Florida Speaker of the House, played an instrumental role in passing the legislation that created Healthy Families Florida in 1998.
|
 |
"I was deeply honored -- and truly surprised - when Healthy Families Florida created the Daniel Webster Leadership Award," said Congressman Webster. "Not only was I honored to have the award named for me, but I also have been given the privilege of presenting the 2011 recognition to an extremely deserving public servant, Senator Nan Rich. We may often disagree on the size, scope and role of government -- but we both agree that Healthy Families is a wise investment of tax payers’ dollars," he said.
|
A well known advocate for children and seniors, Senator Rich was instrumental in maintaining funding for Healthy Families Florida during last year’s legislative session. Healthy Families is a nationally accredited evidence-based home visiting program that improves childhood outcomes by preventing child abuse and neglect before it ever begins. The program is proven to prevent child abuse and neglect in 98% of the high-risk families who voluntarily participate in services.
Senator Rich recognizes Healthy Families is not only highly effective, but also saves taxpayer dollars. It can cost taxpayers more than $64,000 a year to cover just the child welfare, hospitalization, special education and juvenile justice services associated with one abused child; while Healthy Families prevents abuse and neglect for just $1,671 per child annually.
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2011
FSA Takes Action to Combat Child Abuse
Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) Executive Director Steve Casey spoke at Prevent Child Abuse Florida’s Pinwheels for Prevention press conference today, kicking off Child Abuse Prevention Month. As one of FSA’s top Legislative priorities, Casey used this opportunity to urge lawmakers to maintain the current funding of $18.1 million for the Healthy Families Florida program.
The FSA believes that crime prevention, especially where the crime of child abuse is concerned, is the foundation of public safety. "Sheriffs know the crime of child abuse affects vulnerable children in horrible ways," Casey said, "and that’s why we believe the best and smartest way to address child maltreatment is to prevent it before it ever happens."
The Healthy Families Florida program helps prevent child abuse in Florida’s highest-risk families. This nationally accredited home visiting program spares children from the trauma of abuse, reduces a significant burden upon the law enforcement community, and saves Florida taxpayers millions of dollars. For a fraction of the cost of serving victims after abuse, Healthy Families Florida provides services for less than $1,700 per child. According to conservative estimates, Florida pays more than $64,000 a year for each young victim to cover associated child welfare services, hospitalization, special education, and juvenile justice costs.
|
|
FSA has been a prominent force in preventing child abuse for decades through a variety of community efforts. In 1989, FSA formed the Florida Sheriffs Task Force, which has assisted in the mass arrests of sexual predators. The most recent sting, during Sumter County’s Spring Break, netted 22 arrests. This was a joint undercover operation between the Task Force and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. The taskforce also had a significant sting in the fall of 2010, when a weeklong, joint undercover operation that involved more than 700 hours of chat time with sexual predators resulted in 22 arrests. "Operation Grim Reaper," dubbed for its proximity to Halloween, was spearheaded by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and involved Central Florida Internet Crimes Against Children, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and top Hernando, Orange, Polk and Sumter County Sheriffs’ Offices.
"We are proud of the arrests we made during the undercover operation to catch sexual predators in Sumter and surrounding counties, improving community safety and reducing the threat of abuse to children," says Sumter County Sheriff Bill Farmer.
Florida’s Sheriffs fully endorse Healthy Families Florida and agree that continuing funding for this program is a wise investment and is the right thing for Florida’s highest-risk children. To find out more about the FSA and the Florida Sheriffs Task Force, please visit www.flsheriffs.org.
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2011
Contact: Barbara Flury 850-224-1660
Big Bend Community Based Care Invests in Proven Child Abuse Prevention Program
Tallahassee--Big Bend Community Based Care, the lead agency for child welfare services in the Florida panhandle, recently awarded $118,008 to Healthy Families Florida, a nationally accredited home visiting program proven to prevent child abuse and neglect in high-risk families. The statewide program was dealt a serious blow when program funding was cut $10 million dollars by the Florida Legislature for this fiscal year.
"This investment is a reflection of our belief that child abuse can and should be prevented before it ever begins," said Big Bend Community Based Care CEO Mike Watkins. "Healthy Families Florida is proven to prevent child abuse in high-risk families, and that means fewer children suffering the horrors of abuse, fewer children entering foster care, and more children growing up safely in loving, nurturing homes."
The funds provided by Big Bend Community Based Care will allow Healthy Families to restore services to 41 high risk families in the Big Bend area before the end of the fiscal year on June 30. "We are grateful for this support from Big Bend Community Based Care. This contribution is s shining example of community partners working together to achieve common goals," said Healthy Families Executive Director Carol McNally.
For more information on Big Bend Community Based Care, visit www.bigbendcbc.org.
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 19, 2010
Contact: Lonnie Parizek (850) 921-4494
Chris Evert Awards College Scholarships to Three Healthy Families Participants
Boca Raton--Three moms participating in the Healthy Families Florida program, Michelle DuPont of Miramar, Jeanne Emmidio of Palm City and Adrianne Little of Tallahassee, were recently awarded a Vitas Gerulaitis Memorial scholarship from Chris Evert and the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida. The two-year college scholarships are awarded each year to women who have demonstrated a strong desire to better themselves by participating in prevention programs funded by the Ounce of Prevention Fund.
|
Michelle DuPont, a 22-year-old single mother of two, enrolled in the Healthy Families program in October of 2007 after delivering her first child at the age of 19. DuPont had always hoped to continue her education so she could become a better provider for her family, but until now, her economic circumstances had prevented her dream from becoming a reality. She is grateful for the opportunity this scholarship provides and plans to use the scholarship to attend Sheridan Technical Center where she will pursue her love of cooking by earning her Associates Degree in Culinary Arts.
Jeanne Emiddio is a 46-year-old single mother of four. Emiddio enrolled in the Healthy Families program when she was pregnant with her twin boys, who are now four years old. When she found herself in an abusive relationship with the father of her children, she realized she had to leave the relationship to focus on creating a safe and stable home for her children. She is incredibly grateful for this scholarship, and plans to pursue a degree in Sonography at Indian River State College in order to become an Ultrasound technician.
|
|
|
Adrianne Little is a 33 year old mother of 6. Despite many obstacles, Little entered the Healthy Families program in March of 2010. Little’s father left home when she was only 5, and since her mother abused drugs, Little was placed in foster care. Adrianne completed high school and has instilled in her children a love of learning. Her four school-age children are all exceptional students. Little is grateful for this scholarship and looks forward to setting a good example for her children by continuing her education. She has been accepted to Tallahassee Community College where she will study Criminology.
|
| Healthy Families Florida is a community-based, nationally accredited voluntary home visiting program that is proven to prevent child abuse and neglect in 98% of the high-risk families served. Families with newborns who are determined to be at increased risk for child maltreatment are offered intensive services from trained family support workers. When these families welcome family support workers into their homes, they learn how to build on their strengths to overcome the factors that place their children at risk. |
|
|
|
|
|