SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 203
WHEREAS, The Texas Senate takes pride in honoring Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Incorporated, and recognizing February 23, 2005, as Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas Day at the Capitol; and WHEREAS, Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Incorporated, 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 children's advocacy centers 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, This invaluable organization 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 Senate of the State of Texas, 79th Legislature, hereby commend Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Incorporated, for their contributions to communities across the state and honor their worthy achievements on Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas Day; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. Lindsay Averitt Jackson Shapiro Deuell Lucio Staples Eltife Madla Wentworth Gallegos Nelson Williams Harris Ogden Zaffirini Seliger
Dewhurst, President of the Senate
________________________________ President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 22, 2005. ________________________________ Secretary of the Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate