79R6277 BJM-F

By:  Goodman                                                      H.R. No. 475



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, February 23, 2005, is Children's Advocacy Centers of 
Texas Day at the Capitol, and it is appropriate to take this 
opportunity to recognize the work of this fine organization; and
	WHEREAS, Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Incorporated, 
(CACTX) was founded with a charter membership of 13 local advocacy 
centers and has grown to include 59 local centers throughout the 
state, which makes it the largest organization of its kind in the 
nation; and
	WHEREAS, The local advocacy centers work to restore normalcy 
in the lives of abused children and create partnerships with 
communities and agencies to foster the investigation and 
prosecution of child abuse cases; and
	WHEREAS, Child abuse and neglect continue to occur with 
devastating consequences; studies indicate that abused and 
neglected children are more likely to be arrested for a juvenile 
crime and more likely to be arrested as an adult; and
	WHEREAS, CACTX utilizes four diverse disciplines, law 
enforcement, criminal justice, social work, and medical and mental 
health, to create a collaborative model to address the issue of 
child abuse; this collaboration results in prompt, efficient, and 
comprehensive sharing of information and evidence and diminishes 
the often traumatic investigative process; and
	WHEREAS, Child abuse and neglect remain pressing issues that 
should concern all the citizens of the state; local advocacy 
centers offer abused children a safe haven with accessible 
information and therapeutic services to engender healing; now, 
therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby commend Children's Advocacy Centers, 
Incorporated, for its contributions to communities across the state 
and honor its worthy achievements on Children's Advocacy Centers of 
Texas Day; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the 
Texas House of Representatives.