Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month

Weir2010We had an incredible week last week when people throughout our community wore blue as a social statement about the troubling problem of child abuse.

Wednesday was “Wear Blue. Child Abuse is Preventable” day in Hamilton County and throughout the state of Ohio. Child welfare agencies in state’s 88 counties banded together in a campaign to increase awareness of the prevalence of child abuse and discuss reporting and preventing it.

We had tremendous support and cooperation from the community.

Locally, prominent politicians such as Hamilton County Commissioners Chris Monzel, Greg Hartmann and Todd Portune, as well as Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge John Williams, wore blue. Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley proclaimed it “Wear Blue. Child Abuse is Preventable Day in the city of Cincinnati and Commissioner Monzel did the same for Hamilton County.

Cammy Dierking of Channel 12 was the honorary chairwoman of the event, but news anchors Lisa Cooney, Todd Dykes, Sheila Gray, Jacki Jing and Curtis Jackson also sported blue.

Businesses, community service organizations, schools, civic organizations, social service agencies and others also participated.

I am proud of our local efforts and excited with how far we have come in three years of doing Wear Blue. Next year should be even better!

For those who missed, here was my Update community newsletter column for this month:

HCJFS Investigated Almost 6,000 Allegations of Child Abuse and Neglect Last Year

by Jim Tinker

Filed Under: Children's Services, From the Director, News

Tagged: cammie dierking, child abuse, chirs monzel, curtis jackson, greg hartmann, hamilton county department of job and family services, hamilton county job and family services, Hamilton County Juvenile Court, jacki jing, john cranely, judge john williams, lisa cooney, moira weir, neglect, sheila gray, todd dykes, todd portune, wear blue, wear blue. child abuse is preventable