Too Many Children Die in Indiana as a Result of Abuse and Neglect. We Can Do Better.

Some disturbing news about an increase in the rate of child abuse and neglect in Indiana underlines the need for action on a local level.

The Sobering Facts

In 2007, in Indiana alone, 53 children died as a result of child abuse and neglect, according to a report from the non-profit group Every Child Matters. Another 18,380 Indiana children were confirmed abused and/or neglected. The number of children abused and neglected in Indiana would fill over 34 elementary, middle, and high schools.

This is an increase from the 42 deaths reported in 2006. That’s more than a 20-percent increase. Startling, isn’t it?

Healthy Families

Community Alliance for Healthy Families is a local collaboration of organizations who have a common interest in ending child abuse and neglect. Services in Allen County are provided through a collaboration of four agencies: CANI (Community Action of Northeast Indiana), Lutheran Social Services, SCAN and Easter Seals ARC.

The program is designed to strengthen families by reducing child abuse, neglect and childhood health problems. The state of Indiana’s Department of Child Services cites research that consistently confirms that providing education and support services to parents around the time of a baby's birth, and continuing for months or years afterwards, significantly reduces the risk of child maltreatment and contributes to positive, healthy child rearing practices.

How You Can Help

Your support of such programs as Healthy Families can help put an end to child abuse and neglect.

Since the introduction of the program to Allen County in 1994, the number of cases of abuse and neglect has stabilized. And more than 99 percent of families in the program or shortly after are abuse-free.

Moreover, those concerned can write letters to your local representatives, urging their support of laws that protect children from abuse and neglect. Congress is going to reauthorize the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) in the next year or so, and is going to debate many items in the federal budget that deal with this issue. Federal funding for child welfare has decreased 8.9 percent since 2005 according to First Focus, a bipartisan advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

A Tribute to William G. Williams

A dear member of the CANI family has passed away.

William G. Williams, the founder of the Economic Opportunity Council, the organization that would become CANI, died Sept. 17 at age 80. He was born Aug. 30, 1929 to William G. and Sally Williams.

Mr. Williams was a true Renaissance man, serving various roles in the public sector. Williams served on the Fort Wayne Board of Public Works in the administration of Mayors Harold Zeis and Ivan Lebamoff. He originally came from Michigan to Fort Wayne to be allocation and timing director for the United Way. During the Zeis administration, he organized the Manpower Program, which later became the City's Department of Human Resources. He subsequently helped start the Allen County Economic Opportunity Council, the predecessor of CANI.

During his administration, the EOC operated 11 varied programs, including Head Start, Legal Services, Neighborhood Youth Corps, Economic Development, Emergency Food and Medical Services, Youth Development, Neighborhood Services System, Foster Grandparents, and Planning and Research. Several of these programs are still in existence in some form.

Perhaps most remarkable, during his tenure the EOC program was cited congressionally as one of the Top 10 agencies in the nation. He was honored in 2005 with an award in his name, the William G. Williams Award, given to persons who demonstrate outstanding contributions in the fight against poverty.

CANI would not be the agency it is today if it weren’t for Mr. Williams’ legacy. CANI Executive Director Joe Conrad noted this, saying:

“One tiny acorn he called the Allen County Economic Opportunity Council grew up to be this mighty oak we call CANI. These days it drops acorns of its own all over the community. Bill understood how little acts can have major impact in other peoples’ lives. Consequently he never failed to act.”

Source: The Herald Bulletin (Anderson)

State Data: Times Tough for Hoosier Families

The 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) data released on Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Indiana families are fairing far worse than they did during the 2001 national recession.

Perhaps most disconcerting is that Hoosiers median household income has drastically decreased. In 2008, the median household income in Indiana was $47,966, below the national average of $52,029. This is a decrease from $49,271 (in 2008 dollars) in 2007. However, what is more concerning, the 2007 and 2008 median household incomes were lower than the Indiana median household income of $51,005 (in 2008 dollars) in 2000.

According to the ACS data, 807,506 Hoosiers were living at or below poverty in 2008 ($21,200 for a family of four). Although Indiana's poverty rate of 13.1% was slightly below the national average of 13.2% in 2008, it is a significant increase from 12.3% in 2007. The number of Hoosiers in poverty has increased significantly in Indiana since 2000, when Indiana's poverty rate was 10.1%. This is reflective of the decrease seen in Hoosiers median household income, as well as, the impact of the recession, as reflected in the increased number of job losses and growing unemployment rate in Indiana.

Sadly, our children are suffering the most. The childhood poverty rate in Indiana is 17.9% in 2008 (276,430 children). That’s a 1.2% increase from 2007. Childhood poverty has also steadily increased in Indiana since 2000, when the child poverty rate was 14.3%.

The newly released Census data displays a rise in total poverty since 2007, but doesn’t reflect the most current economic struggles because the data was collected in August 2008. We can predict with near certainty that there are even more persons living in poverty in Indiana today than there were in 2008 as the current unemployment rate is much higher now.

We must not let this situation get still worse. This data should be a warning sign to state officials and community organizations that more needs to be done to help working Hoosier families through these difficult economic times as the number of Hoosiers living below the poverty guidelines continues to grow.

For more information visit the Indiana Community Action Association’s Web site, www.incap.org.

Source: Indiana Community Action Association (INCAA)