ACCS works with area agencies to keep kids safe
October 27, 2009Athens County Children Services Executive Director Andrea Reik sat down with Sara Brumfield from the Athens Messenger to discuss child abuse prevention efforts in Athens County and the recent findings of the child advocacy group, Every Child Matters Education Fund.
Andrea Reik, director of Athens County Children Services, said there have not been any recent child abuse-related deaths in Athens County, and local agencies are working to keep it that way.
According to a recent survey conducted by the Every Child Matters Education Fund, from 2001-2007 there were 10,440 children in the United States who died from child abuse and neglect. Ohio ranked sixth highest in the number of deaths in that time period, with 449. The top five included Texas with 1509, Florida with 785, New York with 523, and Illinois with 495. Three quarters of the children who died as a result of abuse or neglect were younger than 4.
Reik said Children Services works with law enforcement officers, assistant county prosecutors, and social workers to keep Athens County's children safe.
For example, there are two social workers who work at Federal Hocking and Trimble Schools to help identify possible abuse and work with children. Athens County Sheriff's Investigator Doug Crites, who investigates reports of possible abuse, is stationed at Children Services' office.
According to Reik, the organizations work together to prevent repetition in the investigation of cases so that a child who has suffered will have to tell his or her story only once instead of repeating it for various agencies, which can be traumatizing.
A newly found non-profit organization, the Athens County Child Advocacy Center, is also working with these agencies. The center was part of Athens County Children Services for approximately three years. The new center, located at 444 West Union St., Suite B, administers several programs aimed at child abuse prevention.
"The only way to stop the cycle [of abuse] is to do prevention," said the center's director Erin Nash. She said the cente reducates community members about what they can do to intervene when they witness child abuse and to identify the sign of sexual abuse.
In addition to its work with the Child Advocacy Center, prosecutors, law enforcement, and schoo districts, Athens County Children Services also works with local alcohol/drug treatment services and mental health professionals to form as comprehensive a safety net as possible.
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