UIC College of Medicine Rockford kicks off National Child Abuse Prevention Month with a Community Awareness Campaign
UIC College of Medicine Rockford kicks off National Child Abuse Prevention Month with a Community Awareness Campaign
The University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford is kicking off National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April with a Pinwheel Ceremony and billboard campaign to raise awareness of child abuse and available services in Winnebago County.
The college’s Medical Evaluation Response Initiative Team, or MERIT, provides specialized medical exams to children suspected of being physically or sexually abused or neglected. Last year, MERIT saw over 400 of these patients. Each child will be represented by a blue pinwheel on the campus lawn at 1601 Parkview Ave. A public Pinwheel Ceremony was held on Friday, April 4, 2025, at noon in the Commons. Attendees were encouraged to wear blue in honor of a commitment to prevent child abuse.
Scheduled to speak at the Pinwheel Ceremony are Dean Alex Stagnaro-Green of the College of Medicine Rockford, Rockford Mayor Thomas McNamara, Detective Rebecca Anderson of the Rockford Police Department Sensitive Crimes Unit, and 17th Judicial Circuit Judge Brendan A. Maher.
In addition to the special event, billboards will be up around Rockford in April with messages in English and Spanish to raise awareness of child abuse and available services. The billboards were made possible by a Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board grant.
“Every child deserves a safe and loving environment to grow, thrive, and dream,” says MERIT Director Shannon Krueger. “I am hoping the billboards we created inspire Winnebago County to work together to protect their future and break the cycle of abuse in our community.”
For more information about MERIT and the events, visit go.uic.edu/MERIT.