Instructions for completing the Preventing Child Maltreatment

State Template Fact Sheet

The fact sheet templates are modeled after the national fact sheets and are provided for use in your state. Material from the national fact sheets is included in the templates for continuity; however, whenever possible use information and examples from your state. This is a fact sheet about efforts in your state and an opportunity to highlight those efforts. Additionally, when developing the fact sheets, please keep the audience in mind.

The fact sheet templates use form fields in which to enter the text. Text can only be entered in the form fields where there are gray boxes. This gray shading will not be visible when the fact sheets are printed. Press the “Tab” key on the keyboard to move from gray box to gray box to enter text. The blank state fact sheet on child maltreatment is titled: ChildMaltreatmentState Template Fact Sheet.doc.

A sample fact sheet is provided (SAMPLE Child Maltreatment State Template Fact Sheet.doc) to indicate the areas which need to be populated to utilize the fact sheet template. In the sample, all areas to be filled in by the state are in yellow highlight. The fact sheet is divided into a number of sections and instructions are provided for each section below. After reviewing the instructions and the sample fact sheet with yellow highlight, use the Child Maltreatment State Template Fact Sheet.doc file to create a fact sheet for your state.

  1. State Name: At the top of the fact sheet, enter your state name.
  1. The Reality: Mortality and morbidity statistics from the national fact sheets are included in the state template. Please include similar statistics for your state. Injury statistics for your state can be found at Be cautious when comparing your state data to the national data. Remember that rates are the best way to compare data. For example, it is not appropriate to compare the number of deaths in one year to those in another without adjusting with population data. Examples or types of information to include are provided below:
  2. Insert a mortality statistic about child maltreatment from your state. Examples might include:

a)The number of children who die of child maltreatment in your state

b)The rank in which child maltreatment deaths are in your state (i.e., death due to child maltreatment is the (enter number rank here) most common cause of intentional injury death in your state)

2.2.Insert a morbidity statistic about child maltreatment from your state. Examples might include:

a)The number of children injured by child maltreatment in your state every year

b)The number of children seen by the ER or hospitalized due to child maltreatment in your state every year

c)The number of children injured every minute due to child maltreatment in your state

d)The ages in which children in your state are at greatest risk of child maltreatment

2.3.Insert an additional statistic about child maltreatment from your state. In addition to the examples in 2.1 and 2.2, another suggestions might include:

a)The psychological cost of treating children in your state due to child maltreatment (i.e., health problems as adults such as alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, eating disorders, obesity, sexual promiscuity, smoking, suicide, and certain chronic diseases)

  1. Fact Box: Include an eye-catching fact about child maltreatment from your state here. This might be a staggering statistic, informative definition, or a statement from the national fact sheet. Use examples from your state whenever possible. Examples might include:
  2. Another morbidly or mortality statistic
  3. A solid and informing definition or statement from your state or the national fact sheet about child maltreatment
  4. A statement from the national fact sheet such as:

a)Child maltreatment has a negative effect on physical health. Short-term injuries include cuts, bruises, burns, and broken bones. Abuse can also lead to permanent disabilities including visual, motor, and cognitive impairments.

b)In the U.S., approximately 64% of confirmed cases of child maltreatment are victims of child neglect, 7% are victims of emotional abuse, 9% are victims of sexual abuse, and 16% are victims of physical abuse. Child maltreatment categories are not mutually exclusive.

c)Early childhood home visitation can prevent child maltreatment in high-risk families. A systematic review of published studies found that home visitation resulted in a 40% reduction in child maltreatment episodes.

d)Prolonged maltreatment causes extreme or “toxic” stress that can disrupt early brain development. Extreme stress can harm the development of the nervous and immune systems, leaving children vulnerable to chronic diseases later in life. Maltreatment, for example, has been associated with heart, lung, and liver disease in adulthood.

e)Not all injuries are visible. Child maltreatment can have a lasting emotional impact as well. Victims may suffer from anxiety or depression. They may be wary, distrustful of others, and have difficulty establishing relationships. Some even think about or attempt suicide.

f)Child maltreatment is also linked to negative health behaviors later in life. Victims may smoke, abuse alcohol, use illicit drugs, and engage in risky sexual behavior. Maltreatment has also been associated with unintentional pregnancy.

g)Children that are abused and neglected may suffer low academic achievement and be more likely to drop out prior to high school graduation.

  1. State Programs in Action: Include examples of programs or activities in which your state health department is involved in that work towards reducing injury and death due to child maltreatment. Outcome based or action oriented examples should be used if possible. Provide data and results when available. Suggestions might include:
  2. An intervention for reducing child maltreatment in your state (include data and results showing how or why it works when possible)
  3. Programs in your state that address child maltreatment (positive parenting classes, home visitation, etc.)
  4. Stories of lives saved from the prevention efforts in your state
  1. What Can You Do? Use this section to provide information to readers about what they can do to reduce child maltreatment. Provide examples and resources from your state when available; however, if specific examples are not available, use the text from the national fact sheets. If using the national fact sheet information, modify it to address the programming and needs in your state. Some suggestions of information to include are provided below.
  2. You might include information about programs in your state. For example:

a)In (enter state name here), there are many programs and activities available to residents that work to reduce child maltreatment. These include:

1)List programs available and contact info such as positive parenting classes, home visitation, etc.

5.2.You might also include the following text from the national fact sheet which is directed for policymakers:

a)Although much has been accomplished to understand the problem of child maltreatment and develop effective prevention strategies, gaps exist that need to be addressed including:

1)Improving data collection systems for child maltreatment.

2)Increasing research to examine the value and cost-effectiveness of prevention strategies.

3)Building support for adoption and ongoing evaluation of programs to improve the dissemination, delivery, and maintenance of effective strategies.

4)Increasing resources available for programs and research that will reduce child maltreatment injuries and deaths.

  1. Contact Information: Include here the following contact information:
  2. State health department name
  3. Phone number
  4. Website and/or email address
  5. Additional contact information if needed
  6. Month and Date the fact sheet was printed (i.e., April 2008)

For information about the statistics included above, please visit .

Please contact Safe States Alliance () if you encounter any problems or questions about using the templates for the fact sheets.