| The Aitkin County Child Abuse
Prevention Council is composed of community residents and
representatives of public agencies who are concerned with
the prevention of child abuse. Community members are parents
and members of youth and advocacy organizations. Public
agency representatives include staff from law enforcement,
social services, public health, county attorney's office,
mental health, and education programs.
The Aitkin County Child Abuse Prevention Council is part
of a state-wide network of councils or teams which are
partially funded by the Minnesota Children's Trust Fund.
The Aitkin County Council has the goals of increasing
the public's awareness of child abuse and neglect and
promotion of healthy family relationships. The council
members focus on the promotion of local prevention programs
that provide services and resources for families where
children are at-risk for abuse or neglect, and the encouragement
of healthy family relationships through educational programs
for all ages. The council serves children, teens, parents
and expectant parents, grandparents, legal guardians,
and professionals who work regularly with children or
parents throughout the county.
Educational efforts of the council, to date, have included
county and community health fair booths, poster contests,
blue ribbon campaigns, public speakers, newspaper articles,
radio interviews, parenting survival tips, theater programs
and speakers in the schools, safe youth sports, report
card pointers, inserts in church bulletins, and placemats
and/or tabletents in local cafes and restaurants. The
council has also purchased brochures and curricula for
use in schools and public agencies.
This is the twelfth year that the Aitkin County Council
has participated in the Radiothon. The council views as
important the continual need for education about healthy
families and parenting. In the past, part of our Radiothon
proceeds were used to help develop a McGruff Safe Home
program (1994), purchase educational materials for parents
(1995), arrange activities for children and youth (1996),
give promotional items to children (1997), assist schools
in paying for curricula and educational programs (1998),
and give promotional items at fair booths (1999). Our
funds, in more recent years, have provided assistance to
schools in establishing "No Bullying" programs, and local youth organizations to arrange speakers,
plays, and asset-building activities.
The Council plans to use funds from the 2005 Radiothon
to support schools and local organizations in arranging
child abuse prevention education. This may include such
programs as speakers and theater presentations, purchasing
curricula for students, supplying informational materials
for parents, and developing community activities to improve
family relations and build assets for children and youth.
Susan Clark Harris, Chair
Aitkin County Child Abuse Prevention
P.O. Box 362, Aitkin, MN 56431
(218) 927-6226
|
