April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and advocates across Montana are emphasizing both prevention and recovery efforts for children and families impacted by abuse.
On Voices of Montana, host Tom Schultz opened a three-part discussion by noting the lasting impact of child abuse and the importance of addressing both the causes and consequences.
“Our society does abuse children, so the question is: what are we doing about it?” Schultz said. “Thankfully, a lot.”
The program featured leaders from three organizations working in child advocacy, foster care, and community-based healing.
Child Advocacy and Response
Tricia Loving with RiverStone Health’s Yellowstone Valley Child Advocacy Center explained that Montana has nine accredited Child Advocacy Centers, or CACs, which provide coordinated services for children who disclose abuse.
When a child comes forward, Loving said, they participate in a forensic interview designed so they only have to share their story once, reducing additional trauma.
“The interview is recorded and can be used in court or by other agencies so the child doesn’t have to keep retelling it,” Loving said.
She added that most cases of abuse involve someone the child already knows and trusts, and emphasized that believing a child’s disclosure is critical to preventing further harm.
Loving also pointed to broader challenges, including poverty, substance abuse, and housing instability, which can contribute to neglect and family stress.
Foster Care and Trauma Recovery
Tricia Collins of Child Bridge described the organization’s work in recruiting and supporting foster families for children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
Child Bridge provides training, coaching, and community support for foster families, including instruction in Trust-Based Relational Intervention, an evidence-based approach developed at Texas Christian University.
Collins said the focus is on understanding behavior through the lens of trauma and helping children develop a sense of safety before healing can begin.
“Often those behaviors are expressions of unmet needs caused by trauma,” Collins said.
Community-Based Healing
Megkian Doyle of the Mountain Shadow Association highlighted programs serving Native communities, including recovery services, kinship childcare, and a developing family healing center called Kaala’s Village.
Doyle also outlined restorative justice practices that focus on accountability and healing rather than punishment.
The approach asks five core questions, including what happened, what harm was caused, and how that harm can be repaired.
In one example, a child who damaged property was guided through a restorative process that led to mentorship, accountability, and improved outcomes at school.
Ongoing Efforts
All three advocates emphasized that child abuse prevention requires coordinated community response, early intervention, and long-term support for both children and families.
“April is Child Abuse Prevention Month,” Schultz said. “It’s a difficult topic, but there are people working every day to help children heal and strengthen families.”
