{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-brown-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-improve-reporting-of-child-abuse-deaths-prevent-future-fatalities", "Blunt, Brown Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Reporting of Child Abuse Deaths, Prevent Future Fatalities", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \r\nToday, U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio) introduced\r\nbipartisan legislation, the Child Abuse Deaths Disclosure Act, which would\r\nrequire states to report data on all child-abuse related deaths and develop\r\nrecommendations to prevent child abuse deaths from occurring in the first\r\nplace.\r\n\r\nThe senators' bill would provide policymakers and public\r\nhealth officials with a clearer picture of the number of child abuse fatalities\r\nand allow states to collect important information to better assess when and why\r\nchild abuse fatalities occur.\r\n\r\nWe have an obligation to do all we can to keep children\r\nsafe, said Blunt. Having a\r\ncomplete and accurate understanding of the circumstances surrounding every\r\nchild abuse-related death will give policymakers, law enforcement, and public\r\nhealth officials the information they need to prevent these heinous\r\ndeaths.\r\n\r\nThe only way we can prevent more of these tragic deaths is\r\nif we get an accurate picture of the problem and treat child abuse prevention\r\nlike the public health issue that it is. That is why we must get an accurate\r\npicture of the problem and tailor our response to meet the needs of families in\r\nOhio and around the country, said\r\nBrown.\r\n\r\nSynergy Services is pleased to support Sen. Blunt's\r\ncontinued efforts to advance the protection of children, said Gwen O'Brien, Director of Advocacy and Prevention, Synergy\r\nServices. Strengthening the national data on child maltreatment fatalities\r\nand implementing annual reviews of this information are critical steps in\r\ninforming best practices and policies to eliminate child maltreatment\r\nfatalities. It is our hope that legislation such as the Child Abuse Deaths\r\nDisclosure Act will support the initiatives already in place in Missouri to\r\nimprove accurate identification and classifications, identify risk factors, assess\r\nsystemic factors at or near the time of the child's death, and develop\r\nprevention strategies to eliminate child maltreatment fatalities.\r\n\r\nIn 2017, the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System\r\n(NCANDS) estimated that approximately 1,720 children died from abuse and\r\nneglect. The federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities\r\n(CECANF) indicated in its final report that NCANDS data does not fully capture\r\nthe entire number of child abuse fatalities and recommended significant reforms\r\nincluding improved data collection and interagency collaboration, increased\r\nfunding to child welfare programs, and the development of a standard definition\r\nof child maltreatment fatality.\r\n\r\nThe Child Abuse Deaths Disclosure Act would:\r\n\r\n Require states to develop a multidisciplinary team to\r\nannually examine the circumstances of all child abuse related deaths and report\r\ncase specific information to the National Center for Fatality Review and\r\nPrevention. The taskforce would also be required to develop recommendations to\r\nprevent child abuse deaths and submit an annual report to state and federal\r\nofficials to publish on a national public website. \r\n\r\n Require HHS to consult with state and local officials,\r\nchild welfare practitioners, pediatricians, public health officials, and law\r\nenforcement to develop a national standard definition related to child abuse\r\ndeaths or child maltreatment fatalities.\r\n\r\n Promote training on child maltreatment fatalities for\r\nchild death review teams to address disparities in treatment by officials or\r\noutcomes in child maltreatment fatalities based on race or culture and\r\nencourage best practices.\r\n\r\nThe bill is also supported by child advocacy organizations,\r\nincluding the National Children's Alliance, Child Welfare League of America,\r\nChildren's Advocacy Institute, Within Our Reach, and the Alliance for Strong\r\nFamilies and Communities. If you suspect or know a child is being abused or\r\nneglected, please call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at\r\n1-800-422-4453, contact your local child protective services office, or a law\r\nenforcement agency.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-brown-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-improve-reporting-of-child-abuse-deaths-prevent-future-fatalities"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6732079200446606, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}