Tennessee Landmarks go blue for Child Abuse Prevention Month
April 1, 2021

State Capitol, AT&T Building, Liberty Bowl and Tennessee Aquarium are among notable Tennessee sites lighting up blue April 1

NASHVILLE, TN — Landmarks across Tennessee will shine blue on April 1, 2021 in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

All Tennesseans have a role to play in preventing child abuse, and the Department of Children’s Services joins its partners across the state — including private providers, local and state agencies, non-profit organizations and houses of worship — to remind our communities and neighborhoods to help keep children safe.

“Preventing child abuse is everyone’s responsibility and as we learned over the past year, it is so important to pay close attention to the children that touch our lives and report any suspicions of abuse or neglect,’’ Commissioner Jennifer Nichols said.

Calls to the Tennessee Child Abuse Hotline have declined 15 percent over the past year. From the approximate start of the pandemic in March 2020 through February 2021, hotline staff handled 100,192 calls of suspected abuse or neglect, a drop from the 118,189 calls handled from March 2019 through February 2020.

Remember that all Tennesseans are mandated reporters. State law requires everyone to report knowledge or suspicions of child abuse or neglect. The Tennessee Child Abuse Hotline number is 877-237-0004. Citizens can also make a report online.

“Prevention is key, so we must continue to support families before they reach a crisis. By building strong, healthy and empowered families, we can help ensure the safety and well-being of children,” Nichols added.

Across the state, DCS staff and our providers offer prevention and in-home services to support families. These include Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention programs and Resource Linkage staff who focus on families whose children are at risk of coming into state care. The department has also developed a Family Resource Guide to connect families to the community services they may need.

Thursday night, 11 Tennessee landmarks will heighten awareness by lighting up blue, including these sites in Nashville:
• The State Capitol
• Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge
• Ascend Amphitheater
• Bicentennial Mall Amphitheater
• AT&T Building
• Adventure Science Center
• Bridgestone Arena

Others across the state:
• Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis
• Eiffel Tower, Paris
• Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga
• R.J. Corman Bridge, Clarksville

Tennesseans can find more resources on child abuse prevention here: DCS Awareness Campaigns, The Children’s Bureau.