RELEASE: March 5, 2003

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Even CPAs can help prevent child abuse

NJ Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect enlists
unlikely allies to help prevent child abuse

TRENTON, NEW JERSEY – As people hustle to get their tax returns prepared for the April 15 deadline, they may get some new advice from their accountants or tax preparers. Instead of their usual advice to save you as much money as possible by ignoring those little tax check-off boxes for "Designated Contributions," they may say "A Person Who Cares Can Prevent Child Abuse," then urge you to donate to the NJ Children’s Trust Fund.

To help launch their public awareness campaign "A Person Who Cares Can Prevent Child Abuse," the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect is reaching out to an unusual group of allies… CertifiedPublic Accountants (CPAs) and tax preparers… to help spread the message that every taxpayer in New Jersey can help prevent child abuse.

"This is timely both from a tax filing deadline, as well as the public’s recent awareness of our need to combat this serious problem of child abuse and neglect. People are asking how they, as individuals, can help. This offers a simple, personal means to do that," explained Department of Human Services Commissioner Gwendolyn L. Harris.

The Children’s Trust Fund, one of eleven tax check-off items allowable as a donation on the NJ-1040 tax form, was established to award grants to programs offering child abuse and neglect prevention. One hundred percent of the tax check-off donations is put directly toward programs.

Grants help launch programs like "Head Start H.A.V.E.N." in Warren, Hunterdon and Sussex Counties that offers educational material, group presentations and self-esteem workshops for domestic violence victims and their children, who participate for 20 weeks in 2-hour sessions. A similar "Child Abuse Risk Reduction Program" runs in Monmouth County; and in Camden City, the "Count On Me Kids" program helps 1,300 second-graders deal with the connection between child abuse and substance abuse in the family.

The Children’s Trust Fund is meant to give effective programs a jump-start, then move them toward independence. Programs are funded on a step-down basis, receiving 100 percent funding in the first year, 80 percent of the original award in the second year, and 60 percent in the third year. Program categories include:

For more information on The Children’s Trust Fund, go to the New Jersey State website at http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/cap/njcap2.html

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