JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO - RANDOLPH, Texas –
Child abuse is an all-too-common problem, affecting nearly 700,000 children in the United States annually, according to the National Children’s Alliance, an organization that serves as a voice for abused children.
The problem of child abuse – and how to prevent it – will come into sharp focus throughout Joint Base San Antonio during April, when the installation observes Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month.
The month will be filled with activities ranging from festivals that celebrate the family to events that help parents build healthy relationships with their children and train adults to prevent and recognize child sexual abuse.
JBSA’s Family Advocacy Program, which works every day to protect children, will be at the forefront of the month’s events.
“There are a lot of resources for parents at JBSA that help them improve communication with their children,” said Gina Ramirez, JBSA-Randolph outreach/resiliency coordinator.
In addition to Family Advocacy, those resources include chaplain offices, mental health services, Military and Family Life Counselors, child development and youth centers, and Military OneSource.
“Family Advocacy’s emphasis is on prevention,” Ramirez said. “That’s what we want to project to the base.”
The “Cardboard Kids” will be in the spotlight April 5, national Wear Blue Day in support of child abuse prevention. On that day, 2-foot-tall cardboard figures representing victims of child abuse will be placed at various locations throughout JBSA and remain on display for the rest of the month.
“These kids represent the more than 5,000 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect reported in San Antonio last year,” Ramirez said.
ChildSafe San Antonio, a trauma-focused care center for child victims and child survivors of abuse and neglect, created the Cardboard Kids Campaign to raise awareness of child abuse.
“Everyone is encouraged to take a picture of a Cardboard Kid and post it on social media with the #cardboardkidsSA hashtag on this day,” said Norma Leal, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston FAP outreach manager.
Another installation-wide event is a parenting workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 21 at JBSA-Lackland’s Skylark Community Center.
“The workshop is a part of the Family Endeavors Operation: Parent Strong enrichment program for military families with children up to age 17,” said Chantelle Stoops, JBSA-Lackland FAP outreach manager. “We are collaborating with Family Endeavors because we share a common goal of building strong families by promoting healthy relationships among our JBSA military families.”
The workshop will be a blend of topics that Family Advocacy recognizes as common stressors of parenting, Stoops said.
“The workshop will engage parents through activities, discussion and
problem-solving,” she said. “Family Advocacy and Family Endeavors hope that parents leave the workshop with the tools necessary to overcome parenting challenges many military families experience.”
Two family-oriented events with participation by the FAP are scheduled April 7: Baseball Opening Day and Month of the Military Child Celebration from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston’s Dodd Field Youth Sports Complex and Famaganza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at JBSA-Randolph Youth Programs. JBSA-Lackland’s Celebrate Kids festival is planned from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 14 at the Lackland Youth Center.
The JBSA-Fort Sam Houston FAP will collaborate with Clarity Child Guidance Center, a nonprofit mental health treatment center specializing in children ages 3-17, on the Strong Minds and Happy Hearts event from 8 a.m. to noon April 7 at TriPoint Center, 3233 N. St. Mary’s St. in San Antonio. The event will address the mental, emotional and behavioral problems of children, how parents can work with their schools, how military families can get help and other topics.
Another event geared specifically to adults is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 9 in the JBSA-Randolph Medical Clinic dental conference room. Stewards of Children training teaches adults how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse,
“This video-based training is for parents, teachers, Military and Family Life Counselors, mental health professionals, pediatricians and others,” Ramirez said. “It’s also continuing education for professionals who need credits.”
During two pre-school story time events – 10 a.m. April 4 at the JBSA-Randolph Library and 10 a.m. April 12 at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston’s Campbell Memorial Library – children will hear a story and participate in a craft activity while parents receive information on child abuse prevention and reporting.
The month will conclude with the United Way Kids Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 28 at Lockwood Park, 801 N. Olive St. in San Antonio. The free community event will feature more than 65 booths with information and children’s activities.