SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 257

WHEREAS, The Texas Senate takes pride in honoring Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Incorporated, and in recognizing February 21, 2007, 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; it 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 to 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 have a higher incidence of arrests for juvenile and adult crime than those of the general population; and

WHEREAS, Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Incorporated, is an invaluable organization that utilizes the four diverse disciplines of law enforcement, criminal justice, social work, and medical and mental health, to create a collaborative approach to addressing the issue of child abuse; this approach results in the 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 safe havens with the appropriate information and therapeutic services to engender healing; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 80th Legislature, hereby commend Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Incorporated, for its contributions to communities across the state and honor the organization for its many accomplishments on Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas Day at the Capitol; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as a tribute to this organization. Shapiro

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 21, 2007.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate