Oak Ridge Today

CASA seeks volunteer advocates in Anderson County

Posted at
By 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…]

Oak Ridge woman convicted of abuse charge

Posted at
By 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…]

Spotlight: Karry on 4 Kids has new logo

Posted at
By 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 [email protected].

CASA, Child Advocacy Center collecting overnight bags for children

Posted at
By 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…]

Guest column: April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Posted at
By 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…]

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

Posted at
By 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…]

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

Posted at
By 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…]