Within Our Reach is an office established within the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities to further the recommendations of the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities. The Alliance is the key organizer in this national effort that works to achieve its goals through a spirit of shared ownership and collaboration with many partners. Within our Reach is made possible through collaboration with Casey Family Programs, whose mission is to provide, improve—and ultimately prevent the need for—foster care.
The Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities, which released its report to President Obama and Congress in March 2016, was formed as a result of the Protect Our Kids Act of 2012. This act garnered broad, bipartisan support in the House, passed the Senate unanimously, and was signed by President Obama Jan. 14, 2013.
Members of the commission included Alliance President and CEO Susan Dreyfus and Casey Family Programs Executive Vice President of Systems Improvement David Sanders, who served as its chairman.
Access the full report produced by the commission online.
First Progress Report
Released Jan. 31, 2018, Steps Forward: First Progress Report on Within Our Reach, the Final Report of the Federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities finds a groundswell of recent reforms in child welfare practices across the country that reflect CECANF recommendations. Read the news release.
Download the Executive Summary
Download the Report
Snapshot of State and Local Progress
Click on sates to learn about policy and practice changes that align with Within Our Reach and recommendations of the commission.