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Shawnee Tribe Office of the Chief

Proclamation 2022-04-01

April 2022 Designated as “Child Abuse Prevention Month”

On File with Office of Tribal Secretary

To the Tribal Council, Business Council Executive Officers and Councilpersons of the Shawnee Tribe,

WHEREAS, the Shawnee Tribe’s future prosperity depends on nurturing the healthy development of the more than the 840 Shawnee citizen children currently living, growing, and learning within our community; and

WHEREAS, research shows that safe, nurturing relationships and stimulating, stable environments improve brain development and child wellbeing, while neglectful or abusive experiences and unstable or stressful environments increase the odds of poor childhood outcomes; and

WHEREAS, individuals, businesses, schools, community organization and tribal nations must make children a top priority and take action to support the physical, social, em otional and educational development and competency of all children; and

WHEREAS, during the month of April, the Office of the Chief of the Shawnee Tribe in collaboration with the Shawnee Tribe Indian Child Welfare Office and other partners will be engaging individuals and communities throughout the tribal nation in a coordinated effort to prevent child abuse and neglect by promoting awareness of healthy child development, positive parenting practices and the types of support families need within their communities; and

WHEREAS, I encourage all citizens of the Shawnee Tribe to recognize that prevention starts with each of us;

NOW THEREFORE, 1, Chief Ben Barnes, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the constitution and laws of the Constitution of the Shawnee Tribe, Art. VIII. (1.) do hereby proclaim the month of April 2022 as

“Child Abuse Prevention Month”. 

Copies of this Executive Order shall be distributed to the Shawnee Tribe Business Council, the Chairperson of the Shawnee Tribe Gaming Commission, the Chairperson of Shawnee Development, LLC, the Court Clerk of the Shawnee Tribe, the Administrator of the Shawnee Tribe, as well as any and all appropriate agencies and organization that should require notification of the Shawnee Tribe’s support of Child Abuse Prevention.