Effort to reduce child abuse in Texas - KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo -

Effort to reduce child abuse in Texas

Texas - Protecting children at risk of abuse is becoming a top priority for state officials in Texas.

Texas ranks third in the country with the most amount of child abuse deaths.

Now there's new legislation being proposed that aims to help reduce the potential for injury and death of children in abusive homes.

The bill would set aside funding to increase in-state funded home visits for families who are at the highest risk for a variety of child-related problems

The senate has budgeted $8-million as of right now but children's advocates are asking lawmakers to budget $27 million instead.

Home visiting programs put parents with professionals who give them information and support during pregnancy and a child's early years.

Families subject to home visits would be those where children have been exposed to one or more risk factors that lead to negative consequences.

There are more than 470,000 families in Texas that would fall into that category.

The Texas Association for the Protection of Children say the continued rise in child abuse and poverty vastly increased the number of at-risk Texan families in need of home visitation support.