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CASA seeks volunteer advocates in Anderson County

Posted at 1:01 pm August 14, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

By CASA of the Tennessee Heartland

Kids Count Data 2015 has just been released. This data revealed that there were 160 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect in Anderson County alone. As a result, 277 Anderson County children were in DCS custody last year.

Because of the growing problem of abuse and neglect in our community, CASA of the Tennessee Heartland is seeking volunteer advocates for its Anderson County program. CASA of the Tennessee Heartland recruits, trains, and empowers volunteers to advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children in juvenile court.

Our Court Appointed Special Advocates gather information, recommend services, and advocate for each child to be placed in a safe and permanent home as quickly as possible. A CASA volunteer may be the only consistent, adult presence in a child’s life. Because a CASA focuses on one family at a time, a child with a CASA volunteer is more likely to find a safe, permanent home, more likely to be adopted, and less likely to be bounced from home to home. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Nonprofits Tagged With: Anderson County, CASA, CASA of the Tennessee Heartland, child abuse, DCS custody, Kids Count Data, neglect, neglected children, volunteer advocates

Oak Ridge woman convicted of abuse charge

Posted at 11:35 am April 16, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Note: This story was updated at 11:05 a.m. April 17.

Oak Ridge Today/WYSH Radio

An Oak Ridge woman will spend the next 15 to 25 years in a state penitentiary after an Anderson County jury needed less than 20 minutes Tuesday to convict her of aggravated child neglect following a trial in Anderson County Criminal Court.

Melissa Lopez, 37, was charged with failing or refusing to seek emergency medical care for her then-10-month-old son, who had suffered what the Anderson County District Attorney’s Office described as “horrible,” second-degree chemical or thermal burns to his skin and injuries to his eyes in November 2008.

The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services began an investigation after someone called and told them about the infant’s injuries, and DCS workers compelled Lopez to take the boy to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit for treatment of his skin burns, eyes, and management of his pain. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire Tagged With: aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect, Anderson County Circuit and Criminal Court, Anderson County Criminal Court, Anderson County District Attorney’s Office, Anderson County jury, Anthony Craighead, burns, chemical burns, DA, DCS, Department of Children’s Services, Don Elledge, Jock Coleman, Mary Palmer, Matthew Armstrong, Melissa Lopez, neglect, Oak Ridge Police Department, ORPD, Sara Powell, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, thermal burns, trial

Spotlight: Karry on 4 Kids has new logo

Posted at 1:13 am May 31, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Karry on 4 Kids

James Dodson, Jefferson Middle School art teacher, left; Sheila Marczak; Jessica Ammendolia; and Naomi Asher, CASA executive director. (Submitted photo)

 

The Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County, CASA, and private therapist Sheila Marczak have teamed together in an effort to address a special need: Each year, more than 400 children in Anderson County are removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect. Many of these children do not have luggage (a carry-on or duffle bag), and they must carry their belongings in a garbage bag. This is humiliating to a child at a time when they are already so vulnerable.

The goal of Karry on 4 Kids is to provide each child in shelter and foster care with a brand new carry-on (duffle bag, etc.), so that they will never have to move from one location to another with their personal items in trash bags. These bags will be collected and stored at the Child Advocacy Center in Clinton to be distributed as necessary.

Recently, art contributions were requested from students at Jefferson Middle School for a logo. The winning student was eighth-grader Jessica Ammendolia.

An effort has been made with Oak Ridge and Anderson County schools to create an initial supply of bags. However, bags will be collected as an ongoing effort. Through the summertime, bags can be brought to Girls Inc., one of the CASA offices, or the CAC office.

Please email questions and concerns to KarryO[email protected].

Filed Under: Community, Honors and Spotlight, Nonprofits Tagged With: abuse, Anderson County, carry-on, CASA, Child Advocacy Center, Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County, children, James Dodson, Jefferson Middle School, Jessica Ammendolia, Karry on 4 Kids, luggage, neglect, Sheila Marczak

CASA, Child Advocacy Center collecting overnight bags for children

Posted at 2:11 pm May 4, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

CASA of the Tennessee Heartland

Submitted

The Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County has joined with CASA of the Tennessee Heartland and a private therapist (Sheila Marczak) to address a special need.

More than 400 children in Anderson County are removed from their homes each year due to abuse and neglect.  We have found many of them do not have luggage (a carry-on or duffle bag) and must carry their belongings in a garbage bag. This is very humiliating to a child, and is happening at a time when these children are already so vulnerable. We are hoping to provide each child in shelter and foster care with a brand new carry-on (duffle bag, etc.), so that they will never have to move from one location to another with their personal items in trash bags. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: abuse, Anderson County, CAC, carry-on bag, CASA, CASA of the Tennessee Heartland, Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County, children, duffle bag, Karry on 4 Kids, luggage, neglect, overnight bags, Sheila Marczak

Guest column: April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Posted at 2:47 pm April 23, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns Leave a Comment

CASA of the Tennessee Heartland

Join CASA of the Tennessee Heartland’s commitment to helping victims of child abuse and neglect heal, and making sure all children feel safe and loved

Anytime a child is abused or neglected, it’s a tragedy—one that all too often scars victims for a lifetime. The latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are sobering:

  • Child Protective Services agencies across the United States received some 3.4 million referrals of abuse or neglect involving 6.3 million children in 2012.
  • An estimated 1,640 children died from child abuse or neglect in 2012, and nearly three-quarters of them were younger than age 3.
  • In Anderson County, 592 child abuse cases were reported in 2012, and 121 children were brought into custody, with an additional 167 remaining in custody from previous years.

Studies have shown that children who have suffered abuse or neglect are more likely to struggle in school, have run-ins with law enforcement, experience homelessness, or abuse drugs or alcohol. Research also shows that abused children are more apt to grow up to abuse their own kids. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: alcohol, CASA, CASA of the Tennessee Heartland, child abuse, Child Abuse Prevention Month, child protective services, Court Appointed Special Advocates, drugs, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, neglect, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, volunteers

Guest column: We all have a role to play in ending child abuse

Posted at 12:20 am April 5, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns Leave a Comment

CASA Child Abuse Prevention Month

By Naomi Asher 

By the time you finish reading this article, more than 30 cases of child abuse will have been reported to authorities nationwide. By the end of today, that number will swell past 9,000. And four of those children will die at the hands of their abuser. All in a single day.

When we take stock of these sobering statistics during April—National Child Abuse Prevention Month—it’s easy to be overwhelmed and to ask yourself, “What can I possibly do to make a difference?”

The answer is, you can do a lot. Everybody can play a role in preventing child abuse and neglect by becoming advocates for children.

For some of us, that advocacy comes in a formal role. Teachers, child care workers, health care providers and others who come into daily contact with children can be vigilant for signs of abuse and neglect. Their actions to report suspected abuse or to offer extra time and attention to fragile children can do more than make a difference. It can save lives. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Guest Columns, Nonprofits, Opinion Tagged With: CASA, CASA of the Tennessee Heartland, child abuse, Child Advocacy Center, Court Appointed Special Advocate, Naomi Asher, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, neglect, volunteers

Letter: Healthy Start to kick off fall campaign, seeks donations

Posted at 11:53 pm November 26, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

After 15 years, with its continued mission of preventing child abuse and neglect in Anderson County, Healthy Start continues to support our families and is regarded as a model program. Healthy Start of Anderson County is funded solely through contributions from within Anderson County.

As part of its mission to prevent child abuse and neglect in Anderson County, Healthy Start seeks to support new parents toward a positive future, as well as enhancing their child’s development. Evidence shows that 98 percent of Healthy Start babies are at their age-appropriate developmental level, and 100 percent have well-baby checks and age appropriate immunizations.

Currently, however, the demand for Healthy Start services outpaces the ability to provide them because of funding limitations. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters Tagged With: Anderson County, Anita Vines, babies, Carmen Willis, Carol Plasil, child abuse, donors, funding, Healthy Start, Healthy Start of Anderson County, Janie Hiserote, Kay Brookshire, Kelly Noel, Marcia Slagle, neglect, Susan Moore, Tanya Brown, Vicki Pickett, Virginia Jones

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