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Preventing Child Abuse at Scale: Evaluating Two Approaches to SEEK (Safe Environment for Every Kid)

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2025-08-01
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Chestnut Health Systems, Lighthouse Institute
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Every year in the U.S., hundreds of thousands of children experience maltreatment—abuse or neglect that leaves lasting scars on their lives, as well as on their families, the surrounding communities, and society at large. In 2022 alone, an estimated 560,000 children were victims of abuse, a staggering number that represents not just a personal tragedy for each child but a public health crisis with long-term consequences—mental illness, chronic health conditions, and compromised development among them.[1] While the statistics are sobering, so too is the challenge: How do we scale up proven solutions fast enough to reach the families who need them most? One such solution is the Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) approach. This evidence-based model has quietly but powerfully transformed pediatric primary care into a frontline defense against child maltreatment. Developed in the early 2000s at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, SEEK is rooted in research connecting social determinants of health (SDOH) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)—such as parental depression, intimate partner violence, and food insecurity—to child abuse and neglect.[2] It equips pediatricians with tools to spot red flags early, engages parents in supportive dialogue, and connects them with resources before a crisis takes hold. But SEEK’s effectiveness depends on its delivery—and on the ability to scale it with fidelity across diverse healthcare settings. This study examines two distinct training methods for bringing SEEK to scale, with a focus on what works best to equip providers, strengthen families, and help turn the tide on one of society’s most persistent—and preventable—tragedies.

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Article published in Chestnut Health Systems' newsletter, The Catalyst.
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