Iowa Residents Urged to Check Off Child Abuse

DES MOINES, IA (01/22/2009)(readMedia)-- For the first time, Iowans have an opportunity to directly impact the safety and wellbeing of children throughout the state by donating a portion of their 2008 tax refund to child abuse prevention.

Every two years, the Iowa Legislature determines the four beneficiaries that will be listed as income tax checkoffs on state income tax forms. Child abuse prevention has been designated as a beneficiary for the 2008 and 2009 tax years. Proceeds will specifically support local prevention efforts via the Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program (ICAPP).

"Iowa's new checkoff will strengthen families and protect children all over this state," said Steve Scott, executive director of Prevent Child Abuse Iowa. "Checkoff revenue will support a statewide program with a long track record of providing child abuse prevention services. Isn't it much better to prevent abuse from ever happening than only treating its after effects?"

"We hope to see the checkoff option bring an additional $70,000 in revenue to local child abuse prevention efforts," said Amber Russell, ICAPP Manager for Prevent Child Abuse Iowa. "If taxpayers contributed even $10 of their refund to this program, we could see a significant increase in the services we are able to provide."

To access state income tax forms, or to learn more about how to check off child abuse, residents can visit the Iowa Department of Revenue's website at http://www.state.ia.us/tax/index.html or the Check Off Child Abuse website at www.checkoffchildabuseiowa.org.

ABOUT THE IOWA CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM

In 1982, the Iowa Legislature established the Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program. This program receives federal and state funding to support child abuse prevention services throughout Iowa. With the recent addition of $200,000 in state appropriations to expand sexual abuse prevention, ICAPP currently receives more than $1.4 million in funding annually.

Administered by Prevent Child Abuse Iowa, the Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program provides funding to prevention services throughout the state, including education, support, and respite child care. The program benefits 15,000 parents and 60,000 children in more than 90 counties each year.

ABOUT PREVENT CHILD ABUSE IOWA

Founded in 1975, Prevent Child Abuse Iowa's fundamental - and critically important - mission is to end child abuse in the entire state of Iowa. Its single-minded focus on prevention is unique in the child abuse field, where most efforts involve counseling and treating children and families after abuse has already occurred.

Prevent Child Abuse Iowa works to end child abuse in four major ways: 1) by organizing and directing two statewide child abuse prevention programs, the Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program and the Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Program; 2) by contributing staff and volunteer support to the statewide Community Partnerships for Protecting Children initiative; 3) by serving as a subject matter expert on child abuse and its prevention for public officials, professionals, the media, and the general Iowa public; 4) by strongly advocating for laws, policies, and programs that prevent child abuse.