Since 1980, 38 States have created this new source of funds for child abuse prevention. Despite legal challenges to such laws in some States, to date no children's trust fund mechanism has been found unconstitutional. An advisory board, drawn from public agencies and private organizations sharing an interest in preventing child abuse, is responsible in each State for establishing program priorities for the trust fund. Trust fund monies have been used for grants to community-based prevention projects, including a program to develop parenting skills training for mentally retarded parents and the establishment of a theater group to present a play to school children designed to prevent child sexual abuse. The trust funds have provided a stable source of income for child abuse prevention in the face of State cutbacks for many social programs, without negatively affecting regular State appropriations for child abuse. 7 footnotes.