Child Advocacy Center raises awareness for child abuse prevention
NORWICH – The Child Advocacy Center of Chenango County is bringing concerns of child abuse to center stage, reaching out to victims and heightening awareness of the issue.
April is ‘Child Abuse Awareness Month’ and in recognition, Mike Middaugh, director of the Chenango County Child Advocacy Center, is working closely with his constituents at Catholic Charities and other local agencies to sponsor a series of events this month, including an open house event from noon to 6 p.m., Friday, April 27 at the Child Advocacy Center on 8 Silver St. in Norwich.
“People realize we aren’t a huge county, but we have a proportional amount of child abuse cases each year,” Middaugh explained. “Part of what we want to do is make people aware of how prevalent the issue is.”
The center uses a multi-disciplinary approach in dealing with child abuse cases in the county to reduce the heartache of victims and their families. By working collaboratively with social services, law enforcement, child protective services, victim services, and mental health officials, the center is able to maximize the strength of each discipline while reducing the negative impact that child abuse cases have on victims and non-offending family members, explained Middaugh.
While the focus of the center is reducing trauma in instances of abuse, financial implications also become evident in each case, Middaugh added. If a dollar amount were given to each instance of abuse, cost per child abuse victim over their lifetime would near $210,000 after factoring in childhood health care and welfare costs, adult medical costs, expenses of criminal justice and special education, and productivity loss.
Middaugh estimates the immediate cost of one claim of child abuse ranges between six and seven thousand dollars without services from the Child Advocacy Center. “With the center, the average cost of investigating a case is reduced to two or three thousand,” he said. “It’s a cost saving venture as well as having a benefit for the child all around.”
Records kept at the center show local reports of child abuse have steadily climbed in the last six years, from 667 reports involving 994 kids in 2006, to nearly 900 reports involving 1,585 kids in 2011. In 2010, there were 319 indicated reports involving 504 kids – indicated reports for 2011 have yet to be tallied, said Middaugh.
Despite its grim outlook, the increase of abuse reports over the years is not necessarily a bad sign, Middaugh noted. “As people become more aware of child abuse, more people are making more reports,” he said. “People are more conscious of what’s going on and making those calls out of concern.”
In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Child Advocacy Center is also teaming with the Norwich Police Department, the Chenango County Department of Social Services, and other local agencies for “Pinwheels for Prevention” – the signature campaign of Prevent Child Abuse America. Throughout the area, individuals, community centers and schools are planting pinwheel gardens as an uplifting symbol of the future every child is entitled to, Middaugh said.
To take part in “Pinwheels for Prevention,” people can purchase a flower pot for $1 at Pires Flower Basket in Norwich and have a pinwheel planted in their pot at the Child Advocacy Center, which will then be displayed in front of the center to show support for the cause.
For more information about the Child Advocacy Center, Child Abuse Awareness Month or Pinwheels for Prevention, contact Middaugh at 334-5437.
April is ‘Child Abuse Awareness Month’ and in recognition, Mike Middaugh, director of the Chenango County Child Advocacy Center, is working closely with his constituents at Catholic Charities and other local agencies to sponsor a series of events this month, including an open house event from noon to 6 p.m., Friday, April 27 at the Child Advocacy Center on 8 Silver St. in Norwich.
“People realize we aren’t a huge county, but we have a proportional amount of child abuse cases each year,” Middaugh explained. “Part of what we want to do is make people aware of how prevalent the issue is.”
The center uses a multi-disciplinary approach in dealing with child abuse cases in the county to reduce the heartache of victims and their families. By working collaboratively with social services, law enforcement, child protective services, victim services, and mental health officials, the center is able to maximize the strength of each discipline while reducing the negative impact that child abuse cases have on victims and non-offending family members, explained Middaugh.
While the focus of the center is reducing trauma in instances of abuse, financial implications also become evident in each case, Middaugh added. If a dollar amount were given to each instance of abuse, cost per child abuse victim over their lifetime would near $210,000 after factoring in childhood health care and welfare costs, adult medical costs, expenses of criminal justice and special education, and productivity loss.
Middaugh estimates the immediate cost of one claim of child abuse ranges between six and seven thousand dollars without services from the Child Advocacy Center. “With the center, the average cost of investigating a case is reduced to two or three thousand,” he said. “It’s a cost saving venture as well as having a benefit for the child all around.”
Records kept at the center show local reports of child abuse have steadily climbed in the last six years, from 667 reports involving 994 kids in 2006, to nearly 900 reports involving 1,585 kids in 2011. In 2010, there were 319 indicated reports involving 504 kids – indicated reports for 2011 have yet to be tallied, said Middaugh.
Despite its grim outlook, the increase of abuse reports over the years is not necessarily a bad sign, Middaugh noted. “As people become more aware of child abuse, more people are making more reports,” he said. “People are more conscious of what’s going on and making those calls out of concern.”
In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Child Advocacy Center is also teaming with the Norwich Police Department, the Chenango County Department of Social Services, and other local agencies for “Pinwheels for Prevention” – the signature campaign of Prevent Child Abuse America. Throughout the area, individuals, community centers and schools are planting pinwheel gardens as an uplifting symbol of the future every child is entitled to, Middaugh said.
To take part in “Pinwheels for Prevention,” people can purchase a flower pot for $1 at Pires Flower Basket in Norwich and have a pinwheel planted in their pot at the Child Advocacy Center, which will then be displayed in front of the center to show support for the cause.
For more information about the Child Advocacy Center, Child Abuse Awareness Month or Pinwheels for Prevention, contact Middaugh at 334-5437.
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