Resolution 190267

..Title Recognizing and honoring the Philadelphia Children's Alliance and the Philadelphia Department of Human Services for their collaborative commitment to bring healing and justice to victims of child sexual abuse in Philadelphia and declaring April 2019 to be Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month in the City of Philadelphia. ..Body WHEREAS, For over the past 29 years, the Philadelphia Children's Alliance and the Philadelphia Department of Human Services have advocated for a team-based approach, built cooperative relationships, introduced efficiencies into the system to provide rapid response, and effectively changed how abused children are served and cared for in Philadelphia; and WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Children's Alliance is a national best standards model for peer agencies nationwide, and is accredited by the National Children's Alliance; and WHEREAS, In 2013 the Philadelphia Children's Alliance, the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, Philadelphia Police Special Victims Unit, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children co-located in one facility within the Seventh Councilmanic District to provide a victim-centered response to all children in Philadelphia who have been sexually abused. All are dedicated to providing justice and healing for sexually abused children, ending the cycle of abuse, protecting children who have experienced sex trafficking, and improving the quality of abuse investigations; and WHEREAS, In 2018 the Philadelphia Children's Alliance and co-located partners conducted 1,957 forensic interviews, with 2,546 children and caregivers receiving victim advocacy. 188 children received mental health therapy on-site, and an additional 867 children were linked with trauma-focused therapy at mental health partner agencies throughout Philadelphia. In 2018, 604 children received medical evaluations on-site at the St. Christopher's Hospital and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) co-located facilities; and WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Children's Alliance has engaged the business community to help raise the public's awareness about the issue of child sexual abuse everywhere and specifically in Philadelphia. Using April's National Child Abuse Awareness Month as an anchor, local businesses are partnering with PCA to financially support PCA's mission; and WHEREAS, April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month and the Philadelphia Children's Alliance, with the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, recognize this month by promoting increased knowledge of the resources available to parents and caregivers to prevent child maltreatment and promote well-being; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby recognizes, congratulates, honors and celebrates the Philadelphia Children's Alliance and the Philadelphia Department of Human Services for their commitment to promoting healing and justice for victims of child sexual abuse in Philadelphia and declaring April 2019 to be Child Abuse Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia. We extend the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body and thank you for your organizations' contributions to better the lives of our City's youth. FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Philadelphia Children's Alliance as evidence of the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body. ..End