From Klamath Falls Herald and News
Monday, July 10, 2006
By JENNIFER COLE-SMALL
Guest columnist
Everyone in our community should be concerned and invested in how child abuse is investigated, charged, and prosecuted. Our community should be equally invested, however, in reading how we provide appropriate medical services to children when allegations of abuse are made.
Klamath-Lake Child Abuse Response and Evaluation Services is the only medical clinic in Klamath and Lake Counties specializing in the diagnosis of child abuse. CARES' medical providers are recognized experts in the field of child abuse, and its forensic child interviewers are specially trained to interview children.
CARES is accredited by the National Children's Alliance, a national network of child abuse intervention centers meeting specific criteria for best practices.
CARES does not presuppose guilt or innocence in its evaluations. CARES' role in the system that is designed to protect children's safety is to provide a neutral, child-friendly and child-focused environment in which children can receive a head-to-toe medical examination and a videotaped interview, if appropriate.
Last year CARES provided its services to 124 children. Of that number, less than half the children evaluated were diagnosed as victims of child abuse. The rest were not confirmed as victims of abuse. Furthermore, 66 children were found to have secondary diagnoses - meaning they had other medical needs that were identified during their evaluation. These children were referred on to their primary care, provider for follow-up treatment where appropriate.
Child abuse is a public health problem and it deserves our community's attention and resources. When a child discloses abuse to anyone, our first concern should be for the safety and welfare of that child. Statistically, one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused. The long-term health consequences for these children are significant.
Adults are charged with the care of our most vulnerable citizens and when a child discloses abuse, we have a responsibility to provide them with the services they need and deserve. Our community deserves to read the good news about how we respond to children's medical needs, whether allegations of abuse are made or not.
Jennifer Cole-Small Is the Executive Director of Klamath-Lake CARES (Child Abuse Response and Evaluation Services), a Merle West Medical Center-affiliated program. She is co-chair of the Oregon Network of Child Abuse Intervention Centers and serves on the Indian Working Group of the Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force.