Sec. 2. FINDINGS
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## SEC. 2 FINDINGS Congress finds that— ####
(1)in fiscal year 2008, approximately 772,000 children were found by States to be victims of child abuse and neglect; ####
(2)#####
(A)more children suffer neglect than any other form of maltreatment and close to ⅓ of all child maltreatment-related fatalities in fiscal year 2008 were attributed to neglect alone; and #####
(B)investigations have determined that approximately 71 percent of children who were victims of maltreatment in fiscal year 2008 suffered neglect, 16 percent suffered physical abuse, 9 percent suffered sexual abuse,,2 7 percent suffered psychological maltreatment, 2 percent experienced medical neglect, and 9 percent were victims of other forms of maltreatment; 2Double commas so in law. ####
(3)#####
(A)child abuse or neglect can result in the death of a child; #####
(B)in fiscal year 2008, an estimated 1,740 children were counted by child protection services to have died as a result of abuse or neglect; and #####
(C)in fiscal year 2008, children younger than 1 year old comprised 45 percent of child maltreatment fatalities and 72 percent of child maltreatment fatalities were younger than 4 years of age; ####
(4)#####
(A)many of these children and their families fail to receive adequate protection and treatment; and #####
(B)approximately 37 percent of victims of child abuse did not receive post-investigation services in fiscal year 2008; ####
(5)African-American children, American Indian children, Alaska Native children, and children of multiple races and ethnicities experience the highest rates of child abuse or neglect; ####
(6)the problem of child abuse and neglect requires a comprehensive approach that— #####
(A)integrates the work of social service, legal, health, mental health, domestic violence services, education, and substance abuse agencies and community-based organizations; #####
(B)strengthens coordination among all levels of government, and with private agencies, civic, religious, and professional organizations, and individual volunteers; #####
(C)emphasizes the need for abuse and neglect prevention, assessment, investigation, and treatment at the neighborhood level; #####
(D)recognizes the need for properly trained staff with the qualifications needed to carry out their child protection duties; and #####
(E)recognizes the diversity of ethnic, cultural, and religious beliefs and traditions that may impact child rearing patterns, while not allowing the differences in those beliefs and traditions to enable abuse or neglect; ####
(7)the failure to coordinate and comprehensively prevent and treat child abuse and neglect threatens the futures of thousands of children and results in a cost to the Nation of billions of dollars in tangible expenditures, as well as significant intangible costs; ####
(8)all elements of American society have a shared responsibility in responding to child abuse and neglect; ####
(9)substantial reductions in the prevalence and incidence of child abuse and neglect and the alleviation of its consequences are matters of the highest national priority; ####
(10)national policy should strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect, provide support for needed services to prevent the unnecessary removal of children from families, and promote the reunification of families where appropriate; ####
(11)the child protection system should be comprehensive, child-centered, family-focused, and community-based, should incorporate all appropriate measures to prevent the occurrence or recurrence of child abuse and neglect, and should promote physical and psychological recovery and social re-integration in an environment that fosters the health, safety, self-respect, and dignity of the child; ####
(12)because both child maltreatment and domestic violence occur in up to 60 percent of the families in which either is present, States and communities should adopt assessments and intervention procedures aimed at enhancing the safety both of children and victims of domestic violence; ####
(13)because of the limited resources available in low-income communities, Federal aid for the child protection system should be distributed with due regard to the relative financial need of the communities; ####
(14)the Federal Government should assist States and communities with the fiscal, human, and technical resources necessary to develop and implement a successful and comprehensive child and family protection strategy; and ####
(15)the Federal Government should provide leadership and assist communities in their child and family protection efforts by— #####
(A)promoting coordinated planning among all levels of government; #####
(B)generating and sharing knowledge relevant to child and family protection, including the development of models for service delivery; #####
(C)strengthening the capacity of States to assist communities; #####
(D)allocating financial resources to assist States in implementing community plans; #####
(E)helping communities to carry out their child and family protection plans by promoting the competence of professional, paraprofessional, and volunteer resources; and #####
(F)providing leadership to end the abuse and neglect of the nation's children and youth. **[**[42 U.S.C. 5101 note](/us/usc/t42/s5101)**]**
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