April is child abuse prevention month in Kentucky. A commemoration ceremony was held Monday at the Fayette County Health Department on Louden Avenue. Department Spokesman Kevin Hall says an in-home visitation program offers the opportunity to counsel new parents on proper discipline. "Particularly in terms of child abuse, they're working to differentiate between proper punishment and when it veers into excessive punishment and into abuse," said Hall. "You want to make sure parents know the difference."
Hall says that's accomplished through the long standing HANDS program. It stands for Health Access Nurturing Development Services. He says over 5,000 home visits were carried out in Fayette County last year.
The FCHD is partnering with 'Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky' to emphasis proper parenting skills. The ceremony at the Health Department featured pinwheels to draw attention to the campaign. Health Department Spokesman Kevin Hall says the idea is for the pinwheels to serve as a conversation starter. "We want them to ask, 'what is this about? What is this for? Then, they can talk to any of our staff members who will be able to tell them, it's for child abuse awareness and, if they want more information, we can point them in the right direction," explained Hall.
He says there's been 47 percent less child abuse and neglect in these homes compared to similar high risk families that didn't participate.?
