Council Courier

January-February 2024

A Special Publication for PCAIN Chartered Council Members

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a presidentially designated observance designed to educate the public about human trafficking and the role they can play in preventing and responding to human trafficking. National Human Trafficking Prevention Month is an opportunity to raise awareness and provide education on how to prevent and respond to the issue of human trafficking. In addition, Human Trafficking Awareness Day/Wear Blue Day is Jan. 11th.

Human trafficking is a public health issue and crime that affects individuals, families, and communities across generations, exploiting the most vulnerable among us and weakening our collective well-being. Human trafficking, as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, is a commercial sex act induced by force, fraud, or coercion or when a person induced to perform such an act is not yet 18 years old; or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

We still have a few Councils that have not Chartered for 2024 but it is not too late. The chartering agreement can be accessed on the "Council Login" page. This should only be completed by one of your Council Officers or Council Main Contact.

If you have any questions about chartering or any concerns, please contact Kathy King.

You are also not considered Chartered until we have both your Chartering Agreement and Fee. We ask that all chartering agreements, payment and pinwheel requests be submitted ASAP, so we can get the Pinwheel order in by January 19th.

Thank you to all the Councils that have already Chartered!

The 2022 Annual Report of Child Abuse & Neglect Fatalities in Indiana was recently released by

the Department of Child Services.

While this is not a light read, it is important information for all Indiana child abuse preventionists to know. Please click here to access this sobering information.

A well-known and common practice around the advent of each new year is the making of a resolution. However, as many people are aware, most of these resolutions do not stand the test of time and result in the optimistic intended change. If you are still contemplating a resolution for 2024, consider the link here, to an article entitled “10 New Year’s Resolutions to Make a Difference in Your Community.” This article was found within the on-line publication known as NobleHour. While positive personal development is always a good thing, challenge yourself to gear resolutions towards a more altruistic change by serving others and building community, thereby magnifying the impact of your effort.

Nurturing Fathers Class Series (virtual) for 8 consecutive Wednesdays beginning Jan10 until Feb28, 2024 from 6:30pm-8:15pm Register before Jan17th
Click here to see the training description and to register.

Safe Tots Training (virtual) – January 30th from 1:00pm–2:00pm (1 hour training credit) Register by Jan29th
Click here to see the training description and to register.

PCAIN's 2024 Webinar Series (virtual) - Each year, Prevent Child Abuse Indiana provides a significant professional development opportunity in order to share information, resources, and cutting-edge content. As you know, the work of child abuse prevention cannot effectively take place in silos or by select individuals in specific roles alone but must be a collective and collaborative effort by every citizen.

Please consider joining us for one, two or all three webinars for a great learning experience and ideas for implementation in your community. (You can click on the flyer below to visit our website.)

Kids First Trust Fund License Plates

Help support statewide efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect by purchasing and/or promoting the Kids First Trust Fund license plate. Funding from these license plates helps us work with all Prevention Councils throughout Indiana.

Learn More

Questions, Concerns, Requests - Call us using our Toll-Free Number: 1-800-874-6880 or email Jeff Wittman, PCAIN Director

PCAIN Website Links:

Thank you all for working hard to ensure the children of Indiana have great childhoods!

We are lucky to have a network of professionals and community members who work nonstop to ensure children grow up in households and communities free from abuse and neglect.

Prevent Child Abuse Indiana

A Division of The Villages of Indiana

317-775-6500

www.pcain.org