April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which presents an opportunity to consider child welfare issues from a wider context before allegations of maltreatment come about. In 2013, 3,993 Nebraska children were victims of maltreatment (at a rate of about 8.6 per 1,000 children), marking a slight increase from the…...
September is Attendance Awareness Month
It’s already September! Across the country, communities, school districts, and nonprofits are marking Attendance Awareness Month. The research is pretty clear: missing lots of school, for any reason, can cause children to fall behind academically and put them at increased risk of dropping out or delaying graduation. In January of…...
LB 556 – Improving behavioral health screenings and access for kids
In the words of our Executive Director’s son: “Physical health is important, but if you aren’t mentally ok then the physical stuff doesn’t matter so your behavioral health is what’s really important.” There’s no question that many of Nebraska’s children and youth face behavioral health issues. However, putting an exact number…...
Following up on Children’s Behavioral Health (LB 603)
On October 30, 2012, The Children’s Behavioral Health Committee discussed the progress in the implementation of LB603. LB603’s intention is to address the lack of support for families with children dealing with a behavioral health crisis. Support systems have been created, however barriers and gaps continue to exist within the…...
Cutting Our Future: Behavioral Health Services
In 2008 during our state’s Safe Haven crisis, parents relinquished custody of 36 children to the state of Nebraska. Most of these children were struggling with behavioral health challenges that had left their families feeling helpless. The message was clear: Nebraska’s families and children weren’t getting the help they…...
25 for 25: Lessons Learned from Safe Haven
We are commemorating our 25th Anniversary with 25 posts about our history and accomplishments between now and the Spotlight Gala on September 15. Join us for a celebration of Voices for Children and all of the organizations, lawmakers, and individuals who have supported our work on behalf of children. For details, visit voicesforchildren.com/spotlight-gala.…...
