Preventing child maltreatment and building healthier families through mental health and trauma-responsive services.
Content Warning: Abuse and neglect.
All children in Champaign County deserve to grow up in a supportive, loving home. This is critical if we wish for every child to achieve their full potential. The dual risks of child abuse and neglect and mental health issues threaten the well-being of children and can have significant negative long-term impacts.
Childhood Abuse and Neglect and other Adverse Childhood Experiences may cause high levels of chronic stress (i.e., toxic stress) that rewires the brain’s developing architecture (i.e., connections between cognitive, emotional, and social development). As a result, children who experience CAN and other ACEs are more likely to engage in risky behaviors in adolescence and have health problems as adults. These problems include alcohol abuse, depression, drug abuse (including opioids), eating disorders, obesity, sexually transmitted diseases, smoking, suicide, violence towards others, and many chronic diseases.
- Centers for Disease Control, Division of Violence Prevention
Building Stronger Families
Child abuse and neglect is preventable. The United States Department of Health and Human Services defines six protective factors which lower the risk of child abuse and neglect:
- Nurturing and attachment
- Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development
- Parental resilience
- Social connections
- Concrete supports for parents
- Social and emotional competence of children
United Way of Champaign County's Child Well-Being grants will strengthen these protective factors. It will take all of us, United, to build stronger families and reduce the risk of abuse and neglect in our community.
Research shows that parents and caregivers who have support—from family, friends, neighbors, and their communities—are more likely to provide safe and healthy homes for their children. When parents lack this support or feel isolated, they may be more likely to make poor decisions that can lead to neglect or abuse.
-United States Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau
Community Concern
United Way of Champaign County's Community Survey found Child Abuse and Neglect to be the top reported community issue overall. Mental health ranked third.
The Champaign Community Health Plan found Child Abuse and Neglect to be the second highest community concern. Mental Health was the top concern.
Rate of Local Children Experiencing Abuse and Neglect
The table below shows the number of indicated victims of abuse and neglect in Champaign County. "Indicated" means that credible evidence was found to substantiate a claim of abuse and neglect.
| Year | Number | Rate | Statewide Average |
| 2019 | 331 | 24.6/1000 | 19.1/1000 |
| 2020 | 426 | 31.6/1000 | 20.7/1000 |
Local Children in Substitute Care
480 Champaign County children are currently in Substitute care.
"Substitute care" means the care of children who require placement away from their families or private guardians. Substitute care includes foster family care, care provided in a relative home placement as defined in 89 Ill. Adm. Code 301 (Placement and Visitation Services), Section 301.80 (Relative Home Placement), care provided in a group home, care provided in a maternity center or a child care, mental health or other institution, and care provided in an independent living arrangement. (Illinois Department of Children and Family Services)
This data is as of September 30, 2024 (Source)
| Foster Care | Relative | Institutional or Group Home | Other |
| 206 | 205 | 38 | 31 |
Recurring Maltreatment
Of all children who were victims of a substantiated maltreatment report during the fiscal year, this chart shows the percentage that were victims of another substantiated maltreatment report within 12 months.
| Year | Children with Substantiated Report | Children with another Substantiated Report within 12 months | Rate |
| 2019 | 584 | 81 | 13.9% |
| 2020 | 765 | 106 | 13.9% |
| 2021 | 781 | 124 | 15.9% |
| 2022 | 622 | 112 | 18% |
Maltreatment of Children in Substitute Care
The table below shows the number of substantiated reports of maltreatment of children in Substitute Care.
| Year | Substantiated Maltreatment Reports |
| 2020 | 37 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 28 |
| 2023 | 18 |
Mental Health
Behavioral Health issues continue to be an issue across the county. Lack of resources, funding, and stigma contribute to the issue.
Contributing Factors to Mental Health Issues
- PTSD
- Physical/Verbal Abuse
- Sexual Abuse
- Substance Abuse
- Language Barriers
- Trauma
- Poor Medicaid Reimbursement
- Lack of Social Support
Barriers to Mental Health Care in Champaign County
- Lack of funding
- Lack of support system
- Availability and access to counseling and screening programs
- Lack of Providers who take Medicaid
- Participant Follow-up
Preventing maltreatment and providing trauma-informed care
On December 7, 2023, United Way awarded $450,000 in grants to local programs working to improve Child Well-Being across Champaign County. Each program is working towards at least one of the following Goals:
- Fewer children ages 0-5 will experience maltreatment
- Parents & caregivers in zip codes 61821 and 61802 will have increased access to supports that reduce stress and the risk of child maltreatment
- The community will have increased capacity to address the needs of children and adults who have experienced trauma
- Children and adults who have experienced trauma will have increased support available
Our Strategy
Our grant partnerships collaborate with each other to prevent maltreatment and provide the best care to those who have experienced harm. Our grant work is focused on building strong, resilient families and strengthening the six protective factors that are proven to reduce child abuse and neglect. Our grants and collaborations will provide:
- Programming that is free or very low cost and meets families where they are; reducing historical, financial, and geographical barriers to services
- Care and community support for children and adults in stressful situations
- Trauma-informed counseling and specialized, evidence-based therapies
- Professional support for people who have experienced maltreatment or violence
- Enhanced access to counseling or therapy services within trusted community organizations
Special Projects in Child Well-Being
Early Childhood Parent Education Community Calendar
Grant Partnerships
Comprehensive Mentoring
Provides one-to-one mentoring services to our most vulnerable youth to assist them in achieving their fullest potential. Professional Case Managers provide ongoing support to the mentor, child and family. Parents also receive ongoing support and referral resources to assist them with supportive services during the match relationship.
A program of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois
Counseling Program
Provides professional, affordable individual, couples, and family counseling services to area residents suffering from mental, emotional, and relationship difficulties impacting their functioning in work, school, family or community life. Services are provided by Masters level therapists - and supervised by a licensed clinical social worker - who are committed to our strengths-based philosophy, making clients central to services, working with an interdisciplinary team, and verifying effective service delivery. Therapists use trauma-informed practice to collaboratively engage clients to tailor realistic alternatives and achievable solutions to their unique situations.
A program of Center for Youth and Family Solutions
Counseling Services
Provides trauma-focused, evidence-based counseling to victims of abuse.
A program of Champaign County Children's Advocacy Center
Healthy Beginnings
Long-term nurse home visiting service promoting healthy child development and addressing factors that contribute to child vulnerability. Parents are empowered to make informed choices and create nurturing environments for their children.
A program of Carle Health
Hope for the Future
Designs, implements, evaluates, and sustains a tiered, evidence-based system of programs and services that are trauma-informed, coordinated, culturally responsive, and people-centered. By supporting Black children and parents across three tiers (Parent Well-Being programming, Hope for Boys, Intensive Clinical Services), children and families are engaged and empowered through this program model that expands existing programs and focuses on outcomes of violence prevention, positive racial identity, trauma healing, and holistic services.
A program of DREAAM
HopeSprings Counseling Services
Offers counseling expertise to youth and families in our community who are experiencing a difficult life situation. 90-95% of the clients are Medicaid eligible/insured. Specialty therapies (EMDR, Theraplay, play therapy, Trauma Focused-CBT) are offered. HopeSprings maintains a strong emphasis on trauma-informed care with all clients, with a specialty with children.
A program of Cunningham Children's Home
Safe Children and Strong Families Programs
The Safe Children program provides emergency respite for children “at risk of harm” due to a family crisis. Through the provision of care, we facilitate parenting breaks when home situations are fragile, promote stress reduction, positive parenting, and minimize the risk of employment loss due to childcare emergencies. The Strong Families program provides family stabilization through individual and group support and education services, including home visiting, support groups, play groups, and parenting classes. Referrals to other services and resources are also provided.
Programs of Crisis Nursery
Therapy - Community Outreach & Group Services
Provides age-appropriate sexual violence education prevention programming to children in their school that is evidence-based and trauma-informed. The program also connects children with confidential staff who provide crisis intervention services and to facilitate connections with trusted adults and long-term support. The Community Outreach & Group Services therapist provides therapy services for clients at times and locations that are safe and accessible to them. The therapist also offers short-term stabilization therapy sessions to children who are on the agency's waiting list.
A program of Rape Advocacy, Counseling & Education Services (RACES)
Trauma & Mental Health Support Program
Provides access to needed clinical intervention for youth involved in DMBGC programming in partnership with Cunningham Children's Home HopeSprings and Families Stronger Together programs. This includes a Peer Mediation Program that provides the foundational knowledge and tools needed for youth to begin to engage with their peers as disruptors of negative behaviors and violence.
A program of Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club
Well Family Care Program
Provides wellness support to families and children from birth to 18 years of age. The Well Family Care project is envisioned to meet the needs of mothers and help them in meeting the needs of their children. The program also provides therapeutic support to families, crisis intervention when a youth is in crisis, and support programs that promote family connectedness and build resilience in parents and youth. Mental health services and social-emotional learning is provided to children and their families. TWE is committed to building long-lasting relationships with youth and families through evidence-based support.
A program of The WELL Experience
Youth and Family Programming
Provides support groups as well as individual one-off events and programs tailored to the interests and needs of clients and held throughout the year to serve certain segments of their youth and family population.
A program of The UP Center
The funds available for this funding cycle will be $500,000.
All programs that are working in the defined area and meet the eligibility requirements were encouraged to apply.
This is a competitive application process. Not all applicants will be awarded a grant.
Grant awards will be announced publicly in January 2024.
Important Details
Grant Application Opens: September 8, 2023
Grant Application Closes: October 9, 2023 at 5pm
Program Interviews: October 16-23 2023
Notification of Award: December 8, 2023
Grant Award Range: $10,000 - $75,000 per program
Eligibility Requirements
Grant activities must align with United Way of Champaign County's Child Well-Being Goals.
Grant recipients must measure at least one output from UWCC's list of metrics.
The applying organization must meet United Way of Champaign County's grant eligibility requirements.
Application is now closed!
Year 1 Grant Report
