Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota (PCAMN at www.pcamn.org) is the only statewide nonprofit dedicated totally to preventing all types of child abuse and neglect by promoting positive parenting, healthy families, and supportive communities where children are respected and valued. We serve nearly 2,200 people from across Minnesota through Circle of Parents and help hundreds of organizations and communities to build stronger systems for preventing child abuse and neglect.

In 2005, with the support of the Grotto Foundation and Radiothon Funds, PCAMN hired a Northern Minnesota Program Coordinator, located in North Central Minnesota (Crow Wing County) to promote & support Circle of Parents chapters and child abuse and neglect prevention activities throughout Northern Minnesota. This is a half-time position, and as you might imagine it is difficult to provide service to all of Northern Minnesota in 20 hours per week! We are very pleased to announce that, with the support of the McKnight Foundation we will be adding a second half-time coordinator, located in Northwestern Minnesota in order to expand our ability to serve the region.

Circle of Parents is a cornerstone of PCAMN's efforts. Community-based, parent-led, and volunteer-driven, we use an innovative & results-focused national model focused on mutual self-help, empowering parents, and facilitating local community solutions to child abuse and neglect. All programming is designed to build on existing family strengths and to preserve important family bonds.

PCAMN has been Minnesota's accredited chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America since 1998 (www.preventchildabuse.org). Prevent Child Abuse America works to raise the general public's awareness of the prevention of child abuse and neglect and promotes services designed to support families in raising healthy, resilient children. Through our prevention work, we collaborate closely with Child Abuse Prevention Councils throughout the state, and this year, we presented the Blue Ribbon County Award to Clearwater and Grant counties in the Radiothon area.