Click here to Call/Email Your Members of Congress
House and Senate Appropriators are working now to finalize funding levels for FY2020. During these negotiations, it is critical that we let them know the importance of funding for the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). Hearing from constituents can make a difference but we need strong engagement.
CAPTA is the only federal program exclusively dedicated to the prevention, assessment, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect. It is also the only legislation that addresses universal primary prevention capacity-building at a local level, supporting services essential to healthy and thriving communities in every state.
Currently, CAPTA is funded at less than HALF of its authorized level. The House of Representatives took a bold step by increasing funding levels, but the Senate appropriations bill would keep funding levels flat.
The expansive mission and directives in CAPTA are severely underfunded and have led to uneven implementation and protections for children. Now is the time to increase funding for this important program.
