WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema urged Congressional leaders to support the operations of a National Child Abuse Hotline that is currently operated by Childhelp, which is headquartered in Phoenix.
“Supporting a National Child Abuse Hotline ensures critical prevention and intervention services continue for survivors of child abuse,” said Sinema.
In her bipartisan letter, Sinema requests Congressional leaders prioritize supplemental funding for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to support the immediate, pandemic-related needs of the National Child Abuse Hotline. The hotline is currently operated by Phoenix-based Childhelp in part through an ACF innovation grant, and helps children and families in critical need of prevention and intervention services. Sinema requested $1 million to support both Childhelp’s phone, online, and text platforms.
Click HERE to read Sinema’s letter.
Sinema recently introduced bipartisan legislation with Republican Senator Susan Collins (Maine) authorizing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to grant $1 million to a nonprofit entity with appropriate experience to support the ongoing operation of a National Child Abuse Hotline.
The National Child Abuse Hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and it reported a 439% increase in texts/online chat in March (compared to the same month last year) and a 20% increase in calls in April. The coronavirus pandemic and its economic impacts have created more demand for the Hotline’s services. Calls can come from children at risk for abuse, distressed parents seeking crisis intervention, and concerned individuals who suspect child abuse. The hotline receives about 100,000 calls a year and 1,000 text conversations a month. Childhelp is the only major national hotline staffed primarily by masters-level social workers who are trained to provide crisis counseling to minors facing abuse.
Sinema’s Arizona offices fully operate with a team of experienced social workers trained to assist Arizonans facing hardship. Arizonans in need of help should email casework@sinema.senate.gov.
Sinema also has a resources page on her website, www.sinema.senate.gov/corona, for Arizonans looking for updated information in English and Spanish on the coronavirus.
