Maltreatment Prevention

Almost 700,000 U.S. children are maltreated each year, according to the Administration for Children and Families. Most cases of maltreatment are due to neglect.

Maltreatment impacts children for life—affecting everything from brain development to future behavior and achievement—and can result in serious health conditions, injury, or even death. Although maltreatment can happen in any family, the risk is higher among those living in poverty, which brings a constellation of stressors.

JBA evaluates programs that address child maltreatment and provides technical assistance to support the implementation of proven practices and the evaluation of promising ones. We examine an array of prevention-focused models, such as multidisciplinary court teams that connect families of young children with developmental, behavioral health, and parenting services.