April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. So far in April, ICAN has held a Wear Blue Day, planted Pinwheel Gardens, shared educational pieces through social media, held a training with their Community Education and Training program and will finish the month with a virtual event with national speaker Dr. Melissa Merrick of Prevent Child Abuse America. Dr. Merrick’s talk will share the impact of connection during the pandemic and the importance of connectedness when working to promote thriving children and families

 

The virtual event will take place Thursday, April 29, 2021 from 9:00-10:30am on Zoom. The event is free for all attendees and registration is required through Eventbrite – link can be accessed through ICAN’s website at www.ican.family or from their social media. The program is sponsored by Gilroy Kernan Gilroy.

 

ICAN’s Director of Transitional Services Lisa Reginelli shares, “We have stepped up awareness efforts this year for Child Abuse Prevention Month because it is imperative in our current pandemic situation to do all we can to stay connected to those who need it and arm others with education and information to help support great childhoods and eliminate abuse and neglect. We are honored to have Dr. Merrick share her expertise with us and help us continue to spread the importance of prevention.”

 

About Dr. Merrick

Melissa T. Merrick, PhD, is President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America), the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect. She has more than 20 years of clinical, research, and leadership experience related to the etiology, course, and prevention of child abuse and neglect.

 

She is recognized as one of the country’s foremost experts on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): in partnership with the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Child Abuse and Neglect, she served for 8 years as the lead scientist for the ACEs study at CDC and is the lead author of CDC’s Vital Signs: ACEs, the most nationally representative report on the topic.

 

Dr. Merrick successfully leverages her significant clinical and research experiences to communicate and disseminate the critical public health importance of preventing early adversity to key stakeholders with diverse priorities, backgrounds, and knowledge, including legislators, business and civic leaders, and members of the academic and medical communities.

 

About Our Opening Speaker

Opening Speaker Tamaé Memole has more than 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit and government sectors. She is a nationally certified trainer for the Protective Factors Framework. Her career has included the development of direct service programs supporting families, policy work at the state and national level and work in the early care and learning field.

 

About ICAN

Founded in 1997, ICAN is an innovative, community-based provider that facilitates individual and family-driven services to restore social, emotional, behavioral health and well being to keep families together. Using the Wraparound philosophy towards treatment, ICAN builds a comprehensive team to provide the child and family with individualized treatment and services to help them meet their goals. ICAN staff, along with their extensive Independent Practice Association (IPA) network currently provide support to over 1,500 individuals and families each day – prenatally through end of life – in over six counties in their homes, at schools and in the community.

If you’re not on our mailing list or receiving Member Mentions, please click here to sign up. 

PLATINUM INVESTORS