Prevention's a cure: Foiling child abuse early is a goal

By Shannon Muchmore  |  Tulsa World  |  Link to article
April 08, 2008

Dr. Robert Block, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Tulsa, compiled the Oklahoma numbers from the state budget and DHS reports.

He presents the data to lobby legislators to put more money into child abuse prevention and intervention programs.

Block argues that money already allocated to treating immediate and long-term effects of child abuse and neglect could be spent on prevention and intervention programs, saving the state money in addition to improving lives.

"That's hard for legislators to see because a child's life extends beyond their term limit," he said.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and local agencies are calling attention to the more than 1,500 children who are abused or neglected every year in Tulsa County.

"I think that there are many (abuse) cases we could directly prevent or at least intervene in early enough to make a difference," Block said.

The national report, released in September and financed by the Pew Charitable Trust, takes into account documented factors of how children who are abused and neglected continue to suffer and require treatment throughout their lives.

Abused and neglected children are more likely to have poor physical, emotional and mental health and are more at risk of social difficulties, cognitive dysfuntion, high-risk behaviors and behavioral problems, the report says.

The report's authors state that the estimate is conservative because it does not take into account the costs associated with treating victims' family members, and the categories of cost are not exhaustive.

Block's report estimates the direct costs of child abuse at more than $20,000 for each of the more than 13,000 cases every year in Oklahoma. Costs include foster care, hospitalization, and mental and chronic health services.

The data are from 2005, but they do not differ significantly from the latest numbers, he said.

Indirect costs, such as juvenile facilities, criminal justice and special education, account for more than three-fourths of the total.

Indirect costs are difficult to calculate, but the methods from national reports allow for at least rough estimation, Block said.

He said he hopes that educating lawmakers and the public with numbers and dollar signs can appeal to the logic behind investing in prevention programs.

"It's not just a touchy-feely thing," he said. "This is hard science."

Medical tests and studies have shown the neurological effects of abuse and how they continue through a child's development, Block said.

"We are learning more and more about the lifelong consequences of adverse early childhood experiences," he said.

Christine Marsh, director of child abuse services for Family and Children's Services, said other, more intangible effects also should be taken into account, such as low productivity and unemployment from adults who were abused or neglected as children.

"It's not just about preventing something bad from happening; it's about preventing long-term consequences," she said.

Marsh also hopes that appealing to lawmakers through numbers and logic will persuade them to finance more prevention efforts, she said.

"I don't see how we could not do it or try it," she said. "Obviously, what we're doing now is not working."

Marsh and Block called on taxpayers to tell their elected representatives to address the problem.

"If this is something that's important," Marsh said, "please let them know."