Dowagiac proclaimed April “Child Abuse Prevention Month.”

Mayor Donald D. Lyons advised Monday night’s City Council meeting that in 2009 there were 176,021 Michigan families investigated for suspected child abuse or neglect.

In 2005-2006, 45 Michigan children died as a result of abuse — 44 percent between ages 1 to 4 and 49 percent younger than 1.

That same year, 38 child neglect death cases were reported, with 13 percent children between ages 1 to 4 and 63 percent children younger than 1.

Abused and neglected children experience a higher risk in adulthood for developing health problems, including alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, eating disorders, obesity, suicide and certain chronic diseases.

A National Institute of Justice study indicated that abused or neglected children are 11 times more likely to be arrested for criminal behavior as juveniles and 2.7 times more likely to be arrested for violent and criminal behavior as adults.

Further, an estimated third of abused or neglected children grow up to abuse or neglect their own children.

Research has proven the success of quality home visitation, parenting-coaching and family support programs that prevent children from being abused or neglected, reduce subsequent delinquency and improve other outcomes for children — including home visiting models like the Michigan Zero-to-3 Secondary Prevention Initiative, the Nurse-Family Partnership, Healthy Families, Early Head Start and Parents as Teacher.

Lyons said providing community-based services to families at-risk or already impacted by child abuse or neglect “may be far less costly” than the emotional and physical damage inflicted on children who have been abused or neglected, providing to abused or neglected children services, including child protective, law enforcement, court, foster care or health care services, providing treatment to adults recovering from child abuse or providing incarceration to criminals convicted of child abuse and neglect.

“Child abuse or neglect has long-term economic and societal costs,” the mayor stated.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: recognizes and applauds the national, state and community organizations and their skilled employees that work to promote awareness about child abuse or neglect, including by identifying risk factors and developing prevention strategies; supports the proclamations issued on the state and federal levels declaring April 2011 as “Michigan Chid Abuse Prevention Month” and “National Child Prevention Month”; and should increase public awareness of prevention programs relating to child abuse or neglect; and continue to work with the state- and federal-level agencies to reduce the incidence of child abuse in our community, state and nation.