The Children's Advocacy Center of Jackson County

Tag: The Family Nurturing Center

  • Change for Children: Our 3 Agency Collaborative Brainchild

    Change for Children: Our 3 Agency Collaborative Brainchild

    By Jennifer Mylenek, Executive Director of CASA of Jackson and Josephine Counties

    The month of April represents Child Abuse Awareness, which helps shine a spotlight on the tragic circumstances of hundreds of thousands of abused and/or neglected children in the U.S.  It is also a month in which I’m honored to be a part of a rich collaborative of child-serving agencies that have joined together to raise awareness and funds to support our strong linkage of services provided to abused children in Jackson County.   

    The Children’s Advocacy Center, CASA of Jackson County, and The Family Nurturing Center are three cornerstone non-profit agencies that support the needs of marginalized, abused, and/or neglected children in various ways with the common goal of ensuring every child can be safe from harm, thrive in a stable/loving home, have equal educational opportunities, and heal from abuse.

    The three agencies are led by strong and experienced Executive Directors who realized that together, we can do much more for our children. 

    Working across agencies has always been our practice when we have shared child clients, but April brought us together in a bigger way.  The subject of child abuse awareness is challenging to promote.  Most people would rather turn away than accept that it is going on in our county in an epidemic-like fashion. 

    We knew we could raise more awareness with the larger footprint of our three agencies shining a coordinated light.

    Change for Children was our brainchild and began last April in a small way.  Today we have seen a significant surge in community support and with our combined staff pitching in to raise the flag on child abuse, much is getting done.  Not to mention we found we all work really well together!

    I think you’ll agree that recognizing there’s a problem is the first step toward solving the problem, but stepping in to be part of the solution will lift your spirits to new heights, I guarantee it. 

    • You can help by simply eating out at the establishments supporting us below 
    • You can volunteer at one or more of our three agencies: CAC, CASA, Family Nurturing Center 
    • You can sign up for the PROTECT OUR CHILDREN training to learn how to prevent child abuse 
    • You can look into becoming a foster parent
    • You can thank our thoughtful sponsors by supporting their businesses
    • You can text C4C to 71777 to make a donation which will be shared by our three agencies

    If you’re already helping a child or children in some way, thank you. 

    There is no greater gift than to see a smile on a child’s face or to know you made a positive difference in their life.

     

     

  • How are children faring in Oregon?

    By Tammi Pitzen, Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County

    Today I am sitting in my office listening to the rain and feeling a little sad and a lot overwhelmed.  It’s Sunday and the office is very quiet except for the rain trickling through the rain gutters and the tap of my fingers on the keyboard.

    No, I am not sad because I am working on the weekend or because it is raining.

    I am sad because I just read the 2015 Child Welfare Data Book.

    There is much controversy across the country because there are statistics that have been released in recent years that indicate child abuse is on the decrease. I have watched this discussion and sometimes participated in this discussion over the last few years and I just don’t see this to be true in my every day practice.

    According to the 2015 Child Welfare Data Book, 27 children in Oregon died as a result of child abuse and neglect. 

    In 2014 that number was 13.  In 2013 that number was 10.  27 is a number that describes an amount but does not tell the story.  Behind that 27 are children that died at the hands of another.  21 of those deaths were caused by one or both parents.  20 of those children were under the age of 5.

    I do not know all their stories.  I do not know the heinous circumstance in which they died.  I would not recognize them in a picture if you showed it to me.  But my heart weeps just the same.  Each of those children carried with them potential that was never realized.  Each of those children had dreams that were never dreamt.

    Our community will never be what it could have been if those 27 children lived. 

    But, unfortunately, that is not all of the story.  As I read further, I learned that

    41.5% of the time for the abused and neglected children in Oregon, the perpetrator is their mom.  37% of the time it is their father.  A relative, a live in companion, foster parent, or guardian are the perpetrator 15.5% of the time.

    94% of the time the perpetrator was someone who, by their very role in the child’s life, is supposed to be a protector not an abuser.

    I read further.  In Jackson County our numbers increased as well.  In 2013, there were 707 victims of child abuse in our county.  In 2014 that rose to 801 and in 2015 rose again to 954.

    These are more than numbers.  There were 954 children in our community that were harmed in some way.  Chances are you know one of these 954.  Chances are they go to school with your child or grandchild.  Chances are that your paths crossed with one of these children.  You may have sat next to one at church or at a community event.  You may have seen one riding their bike in your neighborhood.

    Please do not think this is not your business.  It is your business.  It is my business.  These children are our children.

    As I read through the “numbers”, faces of children I have worked with over the years flash in my mind’s eye.  Some of them are ones that I was not happy with the outcomes and, if I am honest, I often wonder what happened after.  What kind of adult are they?  Are they happy?  Did they find peace?

    These are the thoughts that will be running through my brain, stealing sleep from me over the next few weeks.  It happens every year after I read the Data Book.  It’s predictable.  I imagine there are Department of Human Services Supervisors and case workers doing the same.

    Every year when the report is released I wonder what else I can do to keep that number from increasing.  What else can the CAC do?  What else can our community partners do?

    We can’t bury our head in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening.  Jackson County has the 9th highest rate of abuse per 1000 children in the state of Oregon. 

    No one entity and no one person is the answer.  It takes all of us.

    Not sure what you can do?

    Let me suggest a few things:

    • Make a donation to the Children’s Advocacy Center.  We provide fantastic evidence based interventions to the abused children and their non-offending caregivers that we serve. We do not charge the families for these services. The bottom line is; it takes money to provide these services. Donate Now.
    • Become a Children’s Advocacy Center volunteer. Or become a volunteer at The Family Nurturing Center or at CASA.  We all need volunteers.  We need people who can give some time that will help a child.  The Advocacy Center needs some adults who can answer a phone, play a game of checkers, and make a phone call or two…..drink a cup a coffee with a non-offending caregiver or share a gold fish with a child while they are waiting for their appointment. Learn more about volunteering at the CAC or call Ginny at: vsagal@cacjc.org or 541-734-5437
    • Take a class.  The Children’s Advocacy Center has a prevention program called Protect Our Children that uses Darkness to Light’s curriculum “Stewards of Children” to teach adults to recognize and respond to child sexual abuse.  It is an adult’s responsibility to keep kids safe but how can you do that if you don’t know how to identify it.  Or even better, host a class for your church, your civic organization, your place of employment, your best friends—any group of people you are involved in. Schedule a class for yourself or your group
    • Talk to your legislative representatives about the importance of funding in programs that respond and intervene in child abuse.  Talk to them about the CAC and the work that we do. Find your legislators
    • Become informed.  Attend the Free CAC Community Forum coming up on Nov. 7th regarding keeping kids safe on the internet.

    You Matter.

     

     

     

  • Child Abuse: A greater incident rate than cancer

    By Tammi Pitzen, Executive Director of The Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County

    April is Child Abuse Prevention month.  This is the time of year that we use to spread the word about the social and public health issue that plagues our children.  Many people do not generally think about child abuse unless they work in the field or have had it impact their family.

    In the United States, four children die every day as a result of child abuse or neglect. 

    Some reports say that statistic is low and is actually closer to five a day.  Most reports state that a large number of those dying are under the age of one.  One report states that 79% of the children that die as a result of abuse and neglect are under the age of three. That seems incredible!  It is frightening!  It seems epidemic.

    In 2014, according to the Oregon Child Welfare Data Book, 13 children died as a result of abuse or neglect.  There were 10,010 child abuse victims and 46.4% of those victims were under the age of six. Of incidents of abuse, 44.2% were incidents of neglect, 7.1% physical abuse, 6.3% sexual abuse, 1.5% mental injury and 40 % were considered threat of harm which could be related to domestic violence, drug use, sexual abuse, mental injury, or physical abuse.

    This is not happening in some far off place.  This is happening in Oregon.

    Nationally, reports indicate that somewhere in the neighborhood of 90% of perpetrators of abuse are known by the children they abuse. They are people who are considered family or family-like.

    The incidence rate of child abuse and neglect in this country is about ten times as high (40 children per thousand children per year) as the incidence rate for all forms of cancer (3.9 individuals per thousand individuals per year).  This statistic is attributed to The Leadership Council on Child Abuse and Interpersonal Violence.

    I am also a supporter of cancer research, but when you think about it in terms of our addressing an issue equally in terms of importance; we do not put our money behind child abuse prevention. Not only do we not put our money behind child abuse prevention, we do not put our mouth behind it either.

    While cancer is usually talked about in hushed tones, child abuse is rarely talked about at all. 

    In doing a google search for the top public health issue, child abuse does not even rank in most of the articles I read.  Yet, if we look at the statistics of founded cases on both a national and state level, one can see it is clearly an issue that needs to be addressed.

    Many people do not want to get “involved” in a situation that is considered “family business” by making a report.  Others fear retribution if they make a report.

    Recently, I spoke to a friend who had made report on behalf of a young family member.  It has turned her family upside down.  There has been much anger, fear, and anxiety experienced by all involved—the reporter, the perpetrator, the victim, those who support the perpetrator and those who support the victim.  It is hard when you love both the victim and the perpetrator.

    This friend is a hero of mine.  In spite of all the chaos that ensued after the report was made, she has stood strong.  She made the report.  She protected the children involved.  She has not stopped there.  She is making it her business to protect all children.

    While these statistics make some feel that it is hopeless, it isn’t.  There are some things that we could all do.

    Here is my top ten list in random order:

    • Learn to recognize and respond to the signs of abuse. (Take a Protect Our Children class or host one for a group of your friends.)
    • When you see something that does not seem right, make a report to DHS or law enforcement.
    • Support those who make a disclosure of abuse. This can be as simple as not calling them a liar.
    • Put everyone in your life on notice that you will not tolerate child abuse of any kind.
    • Contact your elected officials on local, state, and national level and tell them keeping children safe from abuse is a priority for you.
    • Vote for candidates that make children a priority.
    • Donate your time, talent or treasure to an organization that works to protect children from abuse.
    • Talk to the children in your life about what abuse is and what they should do if something happens to them. (This should include all kinds of abuse…bullying, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse.)
    • BE PRESENT IN YOUR CHILD’S LIFE.
    • When you see a parent struggling with their children in a public place, offer support instead of judgement.

    If you want to learn more about any of these, to include learning “how” to do these,  contact the Children’s Advocacy Center.  If there is enough interest we will schedule a special class.

    Here is a list of some fun activities you can participate in to let your community know that you will not stand for child abuse:

    *Ongoing: The Change for Children Campaign will be taking place throughout the community.

    This is an exciting collaborative project between, CASA, Children’s Advocacy Center and The Family Nurturing Center.  Look for Change for Children donation jars at: The Butcher Shop, all Lithia car dealerships, Wamba Juice, Central Art Supply, Jackson Creek Pizza, Thai Bistro and Sunrise Cafe.

    *April 16th: Panda Express Fundraiser

    *April 23rd:  Gamble for Good Poker Tournament Fundraiser

    *April 25th:  Protect Our Children Child Abuse Prevention Training

    *April 27th and 28th: Recognizing and Responding to Child Abuse Training – Contact Ginny Sagal at: vsagal@cacjc.org for more information or to register