BATON ROUGE - State and local officials will announce April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Louisiana.

An official proclamation will be read by Gov. John Bel Edwards or a representative during a press conference on Monday, Apr. 11 at 10:30 a.m.

Others to attend include Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana, State Police Col. Mike Edmonson, East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, East Baton Rouge Coroner Beau Clark, Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie, Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Garner Walters and state legislatures.

Prevent Child Abuse and local partners will “plant” 1,000 pinwheels an hour before the press conference on the Capitol’s front lawn.

According to PCA Louisiana executive director, Amanda Brunson, Pinwheels for Prevention helps to raise awareness of how citizens can play a role in child abuse prevention.

The “planting” is one of eight that Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana will host in the state. Other plantings will be in Houma, Thibodaux, Lake Charles, Sulphur, Hammond, New Orleans, and Lafayette. A total of 10,000 pinwheels will be planted across the region. 5,000 extra pinwheels are expected to be planted by area businesses, schools, and organizations.

Pinwheels are available for a $1 donation that supports PCA Louisiana’s outreach programs.

To donate click here: www.pcal.org.

Other community partners joining PCA Louisiana at the Capitol in April  include: the Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center, the Baton Rouge Police Department, Catholic Charities’ Safe Families for Children, the state Department of Children and Family Services, the state Department of Health and Hospitals, Families Helping Families of Baton Rouge, Forum 35, the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations, the Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy, LouisianaChildren.org, the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund, No Use for Abuse, Volunteers of America of Greater Baton Rouge and the YMCA of the Capital Area.