INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Gail Riecken’s (D-Evansville) outspoken advocacy on behalf of children at risk has won her recognition from a statewide organization dedicated to protecting the interests of those children and their families.
The Indiana Association of Resources and Child Advocacy (IARCA) presented Riecken with its 2015 “Friend of Children†award during the group’s annual conference in Indianapolis.
In presenting the award, IARCA officials cited Riecken’s tireless efforts on behalf of basic child care and welfare and delinquency prevention at both the state and local levels. The lawmaker also was credited for being a “change agent†who worked to ensure that policy turns into positive progress.
In recent legislative sessions, Riecken has played a prominent role in bipartisan efforts to strengthen protections for abused and neglected children through the state’s Department of Child Services (DCS). She also has used her position on the House Ways and Means Committee to advocate for such things as improved funding for the guardian ad litem and other protective services.
“It always is nice to receive recognition for your work, but the true pleasure in this effort is in helping bring about changes that can save lives and protect children,†Riecken said. “My goal remains the same: no more abuse and no more neglect of children in Indiana. We have a long way to go to reach that goal, but it is worth the effort to protect our state’s most precious resource.â€
IARCA’s mission is to promote cooperation, communication, development and mutual support among organizations and systems that provide services to children and their families. The association also advocates for the establishment and maintenance of the highest-quality, most effective and most appropriate services possible to children and their families. IARCA claims close to 100 member groups as part of its network.
