News Advisory – Advocates Gather to Address Child Abuse and Childhood Trauma

What: The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and Utah Coalition for Protecting Childhood (UCPC) will host a roundtable discussion with community advocates to discuss how to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors associated with adverse childhood experiences, child maltreatment, abuse and neglect, and opioid misuse/overdose.

Why: Each year in Utah there are more than 10,000 substantiated cases of child maltreatment. These cases include physical abuse, neglect, psychological mistreatment, sexual abuse, and medical neglect.

Who: Interviews available include:

  • Deondra Brown, child advocate, UCPC co-chair
  • Kim Fischer, Waterford Upstart
  • Vonda Jump Norman, Utah State University and The Family Place
  • Gred McDonald, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program
  • Brent Platt, Utah Department of Human Services, UCPC co-chair
  • Teresa Betzer, UDOH
  • Joey Thurgood, UDOH

When: Wednesday, November 6, 2019
1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Where: Red Butte Gardens
Richard K Hemingway Orangerie
300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108

Note: The media is welcome to attend the entirety of the roundtable discussion, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. However, interviews with the experts listed above will only be available from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

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Media Contact:
Katie McMinn
385-272-6306
[email protected]