Child Abuse Prevention as Public Health: Blue Cross Partners with Children’s Trust Fund  

by Blues Perspectives

| 3 min read

Blue pinwheels commemorating Child Abuse Prevention Month sit in a park
Every 10 seconds, a report of child abuse is made in the United States. Child abuse and neglect – coupled with adverse childhood experiences like exposure to violence or abuse – can have tremendous life-long effects on health, opportunity and well-being if left untreated. In Michigan, two-thirds of adults reported at least one of these adverse experience as a child. The past two years have exacerbated the stress and crises many families face across Michigan; and reports indicate child abuse increased during the times when children were isolated at home due to pandemic closures. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan – together with Blue Care Network and Blue Cross Complete – are committed to bringing child abuse prevention and awareness to the forefront in 2022. This year, we are partnering with the Children’s Trust Fund to raise awareness and funds for their important work. “Child abuse and neglect are urgent public health issues across the country and here in Michigan,” said Daniel J. Loepp, President and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “We feel it is critical to bring awareness about child abuse prevention and to provide help and hope for children and families facing these experiences. As part of this effort, our company chose the Children’s Trust Fund as our charitable focus for 2022 and we are implementing a yearlong campaign devoted to the organization.” The Children’s Trust Fund is the only statewide organization in Michigan whose sole focus is to proactively support programs with education, funding and resources across the state with a goal of preventing child abuse and neglect. It is celebrating its 40th year as the Michigan legislature established it in 1982 to fund critical activities of organizations on the front lines of child abuse and neglect prevention across the state. Blue Cross is a sponsor of the Children’s Trust Fund’s 20th Annual Pam Posthumus Signature Auction May 17, which raises money to expand prevention programs in all 83 Michigan counties. Blue Cross President and CEO Daniel J. Loepp, and his wife, Children's Trust Fund Board chair Amy Tattrie Loepp, are serving as the honorary 2022 co-chairs of the event. Money raised in the auction pays for programs including parent support and education, fatherhood programs, family resource dollars, adverse childhood experiences prevention and more. Together, Blue Cross and the Children’s Trust Fund are engaging local and statewide stakeholders to identify areas of need for families facing difficult challenges and children in danger of harm. We’ve produced and distributed a toolkit to help inform and empower individuals on our communities to recognize and report child abuse. Blue Cross is also engaging its employees with opportunities to help make a difference throughout 2022. During April, which is Child Abuse Prevention Month, look for gardens of blue pinwheels in front of Blue Cross office buildings – as well as many more locations with our community partners across Michigan. These pinwheel gardens are a part of Pinwheels for Prevention, the national signature campaign of Prevent Child Abuse America. Pinwheels are symbolic to the prevention effort and the hope, health and happiness each child deserves. More from MIBluesPerspectives.com:
Photo credit: Getty Images 

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4 Comments

B
Blues Perspectives

May 5, 2022 at 2:28pm

Hi Melissa. Thank you for your question! We depleted our stock of pinwheels ordered through the course of this campaign. Many of the organizations that we’ve partnered with have kept their pinwheels for future use or have encouraged others to take pinwheels home at the end of April. If you saw a pinwheel garden in your area, we would suggest asking the organization that placed them if you could take a few. If that doesn’t work, there are several online vendors that sell blue pinwheels online.

B
Blues Perspectives

May 5, 2022 at 2:26pm

Hi Laura. We appreciate your feedback. We’re thankful for all the support of our participating pinwheel garden partners on raising awareness of child abuse and neglect and have emphasized and ensured pinwheels are properly maintained throughout this campaign and stored appropriately following.

M
Melissa Blunt

Apr 25, 2022 at 12:53am

Where can I get a bunch of these child abuse awareness spinners? Our 28.5m old grandson Bryar was neglected while at his dad'sdurong visitation/died of a head injury, our 2nd grandson Bronx who was 18.5m (same daughter) had arm broken & face slapped on July 12th by the bf who watched us mourn Bryar who was on Life support from Dec 31st about 4p-Jan 5th when he passed at 12:24p. I would love to spread more awareness.. ty

l
laura

Apr 22, 2022 at 9:36pm

The pin wheels are a waste of fossila fuels and are harmful to the environment. I have chased more of these down the road than I care to count!!! Please find a better way for your campaign message.

MI Blues Perspectives is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association