Fort Carson hosts Child Abuse Prevention Month event

By Anissa Connell, Fort Carson Public Affairs OfficeApril 9, 2024

Fort Carson hosts Child Abuse Prevention Month event
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT CARSON, Colo. — Maj. Gen. David Doyle, commanding general, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, reads to children during the Army Community Service Child Abuse Prevention Month kickoff event April 5, 2024, at the ACS Annex. (Photo Credit: Anissa Connell) VIEW ORIGINAL
Fort Carson hosts Child Abuse Prevention Month event
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT CARSON, Colo. — Maj. Gen. David Doyle, commanding general, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, visits with Autumn and Clementine Mormon prior to the Army Community Service Child Abuse Prevention Month kickoff event April 5, 2024, at the ACS Annex. (Photo Credit: Anissa Connell) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT CARSON, Colo. – The Army Community Service (ACS) New Parent Support Program educated Families on the dangers of child abuse during a Child Abuse Prevention Month kickoff event April 5, 2024, at the ACS Annex building.

Maj. Gen. David Doyle, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, and Col. Sean Brown, Fort Carson garrison commander, shared opening remarks about the importance of child abuse prevention.

“If you think about child abuse prevention, we’re really talking about providing enriched lives for our children,” said Brown. “If we aim higher than just preventing child abuse, we’re sure not to miss the mark.”

The New Parent Support Program promotes healthy Families by offering a variety of services that include home visits and parenting classes.

These events encourage Families to cope with stress, isolation, post-deployment reunions and the demands of parenthood.

“Child abuse prevention starts at every level. Commanders can support by bringing the ACS team and the different resources that help military parents in taking care of kids,” said Kristen Kea, ACS division chief.

The New Parent Support Program offers four weekly classes such as infant massage and baby nurturing, playgroup, toddler time and center on fathering.

“A lot of our classes, like toddler time and playgroups, are great for parents to meet other parents and kind of build on that community and figure out how they best can be there for each other,” said Crystal Nierman, New Parent Support Program home visitor.

Monthly and quarterly classes include baby orientation, baby sign language and nurturing Families through play.

Kea mentioned one service provided by ACS is home visits which allows Families to meet with a staff member to work on strengths and to educate them on other strategies.

Autumn Mormon said she attended the event with her two children to help them connect with other children in the Fort Carson community.

“ACS means there is always someone here that can help us if we need anything, and it’s really great for any resources that we need,” said Mormon.

For more information on resources available through the New Parent Support Program, call 719-526-0461 or visit carson.armymwr.com/programs/new-parent-support-program.