We All Play A Role.

For the past ten years I have been honored to be President & CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America. That role is going to change however, because retirement is in my plans for early next year.

The last ten years have seen the incredible expansion of our Healthy Families America home visiting program, now serving 85,000 families each year. Our bullying prevention and child sexual abuse prevention technical assistance services have enhanced the 350 strategies that our 50 state chapters use to support the belief that every child has the right to a great childhood. Without your commitment to this mission, we could not do this.

This very difficult decision has allowed me to reflect not only how important this mission is but how great our supporters are. You have helped prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation's children and for that, I thank you. Your kind, encouraging notes gave me the inspiration to do my job better and for that, I am grateful. You have shown what is possible when people care and that has inspired me.

You have made me believe that prevention is really possible; you have made me believe that people want to make child abuse and neglect not only preventable, but unthinkable; you have made me believe that we all play an important role in each child's life who comes in contact with us.

Thank you for helping me believe that I could do my job; I have not felt alone, because I knew you were there. Please never underestimate the influence your support means to individuals like me.

But there is so much more to be done! Please continue to help our mission achieve the next round of successes to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, child abuse and neglect by making a gift today.

Sincerely,

James M. Hmurovich

President & CEO

P.S. By giving a gift today, you will help ensure that all children have the great childhoods they deserve because our children are our future.

Prevent Child Abuse America President & CEO James M. Hmurovich to retire.

Prevent Child Abuse America is formally announcing the retirement of President & CEO James M. Hmurovich. For 10 years, staff and he have worked to deliver on evidence-based strategies to promote healthy child development, supportive services for parents, and the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect. Hmurovich’s last day has not been identified and will be aligned with the appointment of and transition to a successor, likely in the first quarter of 2016. A national search for his successor is underway, led by the National Board of Directors with the help of Phillips Oppenheim. “Jim began his role as President & CEO at a time of significant change and transformation in the organization’s history,” said Fred Riley, Board Chair, Prevent Child Abuse America. “He brought a sense of urgency to achieving financial stability and revenue enhancement, while never compromising the organization’s focus on children and families. We are stronger and looking at an even brighter future thanks to Jim’s efforts and leadership.” During his time at Prevent Child Abuse America, Jim was a member of a national office team that expanded the organization’s home visitation program, Healthy Families America, from 360 sites to over 600, increased the state chapter network from 41 to 50, introduced the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign as a reminder that child abuse and neglect prevention is everyone’s responsibility, oversaw the creation of technical assistance services to the networks on bullying prevention and child sexual abuse prevention, and the development of a national movement, Connect the Dots, for children and families. You can read the full release on Hmurovich's retirement here.

Check it out: The current edition of our newsletter is live!

And you can learn more about what's happening with Healthy Families America, our new ACEs infographic, the Spirit of Prevent Award that was recently won by Rebecca Ruffner the Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse America, read a message from James M. Hmurovich, our President & CEO and Connect the Dots here. So please do take a look and don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions about any of this. Thanks!

Chicago Big Pinwheel Garden 2015.

We are happy to share Prevent Child Abuse America's new brand video with you.

Please share and re-post. Thanks!

Prevent Child Abuse America in the news!

We want to share an Op-Ed with you written by James M. Hmurovich, President & CEO, Prevent Child Abuse America - here - that ran in The State Journal-Register which is based out of Springfield, IL. We have also pasted an excerpt below.

"We all have a role to play in healthy child development and the prevention of child abuse. Coaches, teachers, babysitters and health care professionals work with children every day and already are working to move the country toward being a greater place for children. 

But even if you don’t work with or around children, you still can have a positive effect on their lives. 

If you have time in the afternoon, you could volunteer at after-school programs or help coach sports teams to ensure parents have a safe place for kids to go when they get out of school and before parents typically get home from work.
 
You could deliver a home-cooked meal to the family that just moved in around the corner or offer to babysit one night for a single parent who lives down the road. You can contact your local legislator or advocate for family-friendly policies and prevention programs, such as Healthy Families America. 

You also can donate time or money to local organizations, such as Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, that are focused on prevention.

By taking the time to volunteer for before- or after-school programs, offering to help families in your own neighborhood, or working to ensure that programs proven to prevent child abuse continue to be funded, you can have a meaningful effect on the lives of children throughout the community. 

Actions like these help bring together communities, reduce isolation and help children and families succeed by providing them with tools and resources for optimal development."

Prevent Child Abuse America in the news!

James M. Hmurovich, President & CEO, Prevent Child Abuse America was interviewed by The Daily Collegian - here - and - StateCollege.com - here - during his appearance at Penn State University this week. We have pasted an excerpt below.

"If we want to prevent abuse and neglect we ought to be talking about how we ensure on an equal basis the happy and healthy development of every child," says Hmurovich. "People want to help, but they don't think they know what to do to help, so that's an awareness issue."

Prevent Child Abuse America President & CEO James M. Hmurovich to speak at Penn State this Wednesday, April 23rd.

Details here.

Prevent Child Abuse America in the news.

We want to share a recent article in the AP with you titled "New Data: Child Abuse Down Slightly, Fatalities Up," where Prevent Child Abuse America President & CEO James M. Hmurovich was quoted talking about making a difference in the lives of children. You can read the full article here and the quote below. We hope you will take a look. We also hope you will share your thoughts with us about the article and what you think about the data being discussed. Thanks.

"Jim Hmurovich, president of Prevent Child Abuse America, said he also was pleased by the steady decrease in maltreatment reports, but expressed some regret that the department did not provide more insight on what factors might be driving that trend.

"It's hard to evaluate whether we're making a difference, or how we're making a difference," he said."

Prevent Child Abuse America in the news.

We want to share a recent article in the AP with you titled "Assessing Child-Abuse Reports a Complex Challenge," where Prevent Child Abuse America President & CEO James M. Hmurovich was quoted talking about the work of child protection workers. You can read the full article here and the quote below. We hope you will take a look. We also hope you will share your thoughts with us about the article and what you think the solutions are. Thanks.

"Child protection workers are very valuable to our country," said Jim Hmurovich, president of the Chicago-based advocacy group Prevent Child Abuse America and former director of Indiana's Division of Family and Children. "They often have to make determinations with limited information, and they care a lot."   

Social media content, children, and Prevent Child Abuse America in the news.

The Chronicle of Social Change recently ran a story on the intersection of social media content, children, and allegations of abuse that quoted among others, James M. Hmurovich, President & CEO, Prevent Child Abuse America. You can take a look at the full story here and read one of Jim's quotes below. After you do, please let us know what you think and how you might use this information in your community. Thanks. 

"James M. Hmurovich, the President & CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America sees the increasing prevalence of child abuse being shared on social media as a sign of America’s need to “invest in being the stewards of all children, not just the ones that are related to us.”

James M. Hmurovich, President & CEO, Prevent Child Abuse America on mom enough.

We are very excited that Jim was invited to talk about heathy child development, Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the role we all play in prevention on the terrific mom enough show. We are also excited to share the podcast with you - here - and we hope you will share it with your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues as well. Thanks.