Prevent Child Abuse New York's Blog

Improving Children's Mental Health through Parenting Education

Guest post by Michelle Gross, Projects/Public Policy Manager, Prevent Child Abuse New York

In today’s difficult times, one of the most important skills one must possess is the ability to form healthy relationships and cope with life’s challenges. Our children are not born with these skills, but rather learn them through their social and emotional development.

While providers have traditionally focused on physical development, in 2006, the New York State Legislature passed the Children’s Mental Health Act. The Act required the development of a statewide plan to address issues in children’s social and emotional health, zero to eighteen. As a result of this legislation, the Children’s Plan was developed in collaboration with nine state agencies and led by the New York State Office for Mental Health.

The Children’s Plan serves as a blueprint for New York state agencies, providers, and communities to
improve the social and emotional development of children and their families. The Plan focuses on engaging children and their families in services early, ensuring that systems are collaborating to provide effective and efficient services and meeting families’ needs by focusing on their strengths and abilities.   

Within the Children’s Plan is a directive for the Office of Mental Health to work with parenting educators to better support parents in raising emotionally healthy children.  The New York State Parenting Education Partnership has been chosen to play this pivotal role in educating providers who work with families and supporting a network of family support and information.   

NYSPEP’s efforts to provide professional development sessions for parenting educators will enhance providers’ ability to communicate the importance of social and emotional development with parents, and offer both providers and families tools to facilitate children’s healthy development.
   
For more information, visit our web site at: http://www.parentingeducationpartnership.org.

Positive Parenting Can have Lasting Impact for Generations

A new study that looks at data on three generations of Oregon families shows that “positive parenting” not only has positive impacts on adolescents, but on the way they parent their own children. ” Positive Parenting can include factors such as warmth, monitoring children’s activities, involvement, and consistency of discipline.

Researchers from the Oregon Social Learning Center conducted surveys on 206 boys who were considered “at-risk” for juvenile delinquency. The boys and their parents were interviewed and observed, researchers information about how the boys were parented. Starting in 1984, the boys met with researchers every year from age 9 to 33. As the boys grew up and started their own families, their partners and children began participating in the study. In this way, the researchers learned how the men’s childhood experiences influenced their own parenting.

There is often an assumption that people learn parenting methods from their own parents. In fact, most research shows that a direct link between what a person experiences as a child and what she or he does as a parent is fairly weak. The researchers found that children who had parents who monitored their behavior, were consistent with rules and were warm and affectionate were more likely to have close relationships with their peers, be more engaged in school, and have better self-esteem.

For more information relating to positive parenting techniques, please visit our website http://preventchildabuseny.org/parents.shtml

Child Abuse Prevention Programs at Risk: Call Your Legislators Today!

Special Session of the Legislature Tomorrow: Home Visitation, Trust Fund, Child Advocacy Centers, Kinship Care at Risk

Call Your State Legislators Today!

Governor David Paterson has called for a special session of the New York State Legislature to commence tomorrow, November 10th, to address the growing state deficit. While we are not certain what will take place during the special session, we know that the Governor's proposed Deficit Reduction Plan is the wrong choice for children and families and the wrong choice for New York's economy.

The Deficit Reduction Plan will cost New York millions in federal funding for home visitation and Community-based Child Abuse Prevention dollars, in addition to the short and long-term cost of maltreatment to our social welfare, law enforcement, education, and healthcare systems.

A champion for New York's children is Senator John Sampson, who has committed his vote against the Governor's Deficit Reduction Plan. Today, we ask all advocates to:

• Call Senator Sampson at 518-455-2788 and thank him for making the right choice for kids and protecting New York's economy.
• Call your local Senator and Assemblymember and encourage them to follow Senator Sampson's lead and vote against any reduction in necessary services for children and families. The script can be as simple as follows: "Hello, my name is _____ and I'm a constituent of Senator/Assemblymember _____ and I'd like to ask my legislator to vote against any cuts to services for children and families."

If you don't know who your elected representatives are, you can simply call the New York State Legislative Switchboards at: 518-455-2800 (Senate) and 518-455-4100 (Assembly), or look them up online.

Remember when calling to be polite, leave your name, address, and phone number, and follow up your call by encouraging another friend or colleague to make one of their own.

Read Prevent Child Abuse New York's testimony against the Governor's DRP (PDF).

Our Two Cents of Health Care Reform

Guest post by Christine Deyss, Executive Director, Prevent Child Abuse New York

As our country and state struggle to find health care solutions, we must recognize that preventing child maltreatment is a necessary element in containing health costs. When President Obama addressed Congress and the American people on September 9, he outlined three goals of a comprehensive health care plan: provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance; provide insurance to those who don’t; slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government. Health care costs throughout our lifetimes are inextricably linked to childhood experiences. Children who are abused, neglected, live with violence and family dysfunction, become adults who suffer chronic and life-threatening diseases.

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study makes this clear. Perhaps the largest scientific research study of its kind, it examines the relationship between multiple categories of childhood trauma and health and behavioral outcomes later in life, among more than 17,000 middle-class adults.The major finding is "a strong graded relationship between the breadth of exposure to abuse or household dysfunction during childhood and multiple risk factors for several of the leading causes of death in adults"—heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, chronic lung disease, skeletal fractures, and liver disease, as well as depression, alcoholism and drug abuse, and severe obesity.1

Why is this? Dr. Vincent Felliti's description of the origin of the ACE Study explains: "The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study is an outgrowth of observations made in the mid-1980s in a Kaiser-Permanente obesity program that had a high dropout rate. Accidentally and to our surprise, we learned from detailed life interviews of 286 such individuals that childhood sexual abuse was remarkably common and, if present, always antedated the onset of their obesity. No one previously had sought this kind of medical information from them but many patients spoke of their conscious awareness of an association between abuse and obesity … The counter-intuitive aspect was that, for many people, obesity was not their problem; it was their protective solution to problems that previously had never been acknowledged to anyone."2

The same is true for other health-risk behaviors. Smoking, alcohol and illegal drugs can provide relief, albeit temporary, from emotional and psychological pain and depression. A health behavior problem can be a personal solution, a coping device, for those who have been abused and neglected as children. Clearly, the ACE Study and related studies that have since been undertaken by other researchers across the country, have profound implications for health care policies. We can contain and reduce costs by preventing disease. Part of that endeavor is to prevent child abuse and neglect and other adverse childhood experiences.

Wisely, national efforts to reform health care have begun to address prevention as a public health concern. All of the draft plans include provisions for evidence-based home visiting services during the prenatal and early childhood years. These programs offer immediate health benefits: improved birth outcomes, decreased infant mortality, and increased access to primary care and needed medical treatment. They also provide long-term health benefits, helping assure children's future health and productivity by reducing abusive and neglectful parenting. Prevent Child Abuse New York helped assure home visiting is part of comprehensive health care planning, working with colleagues from Healthy Families New York, Prevent Child Abuse America, and other national home visiting programs. We also have joined an effort spearheaded by SUNY Albany School of Social Work to apply Adverse Childhood Experiences research to improving prevention and treatment policies and practice.

An ACES research briefing from the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy
may be downloaded at http://www.scaany.org/resources/publications.php

1 Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 14, Number 4.  Vincent J. Felitti, MD, FACP, Robert F. Anda, MD, MS, Dale Nordenberg, MD, David F. Williamson, MS, PhD, Alison M. Spitz, MS, MPH, Valerie Edwards, BA, Mary P. Koss, PhD, James S. Marks, MD, MPH

2 Vincent J. Felitti, MD, The Relationship of Adverse Childhood Experiences to Adult Health: Turning gold into lead. English translation of: Felitti VJ. Belastungen in der Kindheit und Gesundheit im Erwachsenenalter: die Verwandlung von Gold in Blei. Z psychsom Med Psychother 2002; 48(4)

Artists United for Human Rights

Artists United for Human Rights is a global initiative beginning in Buffalo, New York, where musicians, artists, and businesses donated their time to educate and create awareness on all human rights focusing on the prevention of child abuse, violence and trafficking during Violence Awareness Month. The event supported Prevent Child Abuse New York and Maiti Nepal, with a focus on The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The event was held at Pearl Street Grill in Buffalo.

Special thanks to Susan Marie, event organizer, for the time, passion and expertise she invested in shining a spotlight on these important issues. A multi-media presentation of the event, including photos, video, audio and press releases, can be found here. Thanks to all who helped make the event a success.

Musicians:

• Noa Bursie, Emile Latimer
• Joni Russ
• Lenny Revell, Tim Webb, Zuri Appleby
• Buffalo Select Chorus & Linda Appleby
• Gruvology
• Derek McKeith & The Exoutics (Ron Walker)
• Van Taylor Project (Tim Webb, Van Taylor, Jerry Livingston)
• Joyce Wilson Nixon Band
• Lance Diamond
• Sons of The King
• Rob Falgiano
• Free Henry!
• The BloodThirsty Vegans

Artists:

• Eco-Scents
• Nomad Magazine
• Poet Tree Magazine
• Memorable Creations
• Hyatts
• Bass Reeves
• Tara Nova
• Allen Street Connection
• MB Originals
• Max Gabriel
• Artfully Aware
• Egg Art
• ee Photography
• Friends of Maiti Nepal
• Marti Gorman
• Dr. Mark Donnelly

History of Childhood Maltreatment Linked to Higher Rates of Poverty

The long-term impacts of childhood maltreatment include higher rates of unemployment, poverty, and use of social services in adulthood, according to a new study by David Zielinski, Ph.D., of the National Institute for Mental Health. Research has shown that negative early life experiences can adversely affect a person's physical and mental health in adulthood. Zielinski evaluated data on childhood maltreatment and socioeconomic well-being from the National Comorbidity Survey. Adults who were physically abused, sexually abused, or severely neglected as children were significantly more likely to be unemployed, living below the poverty line, and using social services than people without a history of childhood maltreatment. Having experienced more than one type of maltreatment increased these risks further. Maltreatment was also linked to lower rates of health care coverage and greater use of social services such as Medicaid, especially among adults who had experienced childhood sexual abuse.

In the first comprehensive study of the long-term socioeconomic effects of abuse and neglect, Zielinski shows that childhood maltreatment carries significant costs to the individual and to society. Not only does the public share the burden in supporting maltreatment-related social services, but also those related to unemployment insurance, poverty-based public assistance, and publicly funded health insurance. Other societal impacts include the loss in employment productivity and tax revenues, from federal and state income taxes as well as state and local sales taxes.

Previous research has shown low socioeconomic status to be a risk factor for the perpetration of child abuse and neglect. Additional research has found that parents who were maltreated as children are more likely to abuse and neglect their own children than those without a history of maltreatment. Targeted assistance for maltreatment victims may help break this cycle. For example, Zielinski suggests that enhanced access to job training and job counseling programs may be especially helpful for victims of physical abuse or multiple types of maltreatment, who were most likely to be unemployed among those who had experienced maltreatment.

Facts For Parents About the H1N1 Flu Virus

There’s a common topic emerging among all my conversations with fellow moms lately: The H1N1 flu. Who has it? Are you getting vaccinated? Is the vaccine safe? Where can I find a vaccine?

Below are some quick facts about the H1N1 flu for parents, along with links to more information.

1. Pregnant women are a priority group for the H1N1 flu vaccine.
2. Vaccinating children is a priority. Flu is more dangerous than the common cold for children.
3. Plan ahead for this school year.
4. Talk to children about H1N1 flu.
5. Do not stop breastfeeding if you are sick. Your breast milk is good for the baby.
6. The symptoms for all flu, including H1N1 flu, are similar. However, be on the lookout for signs of serious illness.
7. Don’t wait; call your doctor immediately if your child gets sick with flu-like symptoms.
8. Relieve the symptoms of H1N1 flu with certain over-the-counter medications.
9. Treat and prevent H1N1 with antiviral drugs. 

For more information about H1N1 flu, including information about where to find a vaccine, please visit www.flu.gov.

Recent Surge in Recession Runaways

The intersection between the recession and family stress may be causing an increase in runaway kids and teens, according to a recent article in the New York Times. Job loss, foreclosures, and poverty have added to the stresses at home which have been trickling down and effecting teens.

Reporter Ian Urbina recently spent time with teen runaways in Medford, Oregon. He learned the desperate measures they take in order to survive everyday rather than return home. Most runaways aren’t even reported missing by their guardians, and if they are reported to the local police, most times they don’t make it into the national database. Without national recognition, it is very hard for police to identify and return these runaways.

Police claim that runaways are not a top priority because most of the time they do not want to be found or returned home. Unfortunately of the 267 runaways reported nationwide 58 of them were found dead. “These kids might as well be invisible if they aren’t in National crime information center (N.C.I.C.),” said Ernie Allen, the director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

While federal officials are expecting a rise in homelessness this year, most social programs aid homeless families, not unaccompanied youth. At the same time, many financially troubled states have severely cut social services, leaving little to no help for homeless runaways. This presents a significant challenge for society, as runaway children are more likely to become homeless adults who are forced to live a life of crime.

For information please visit the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, The National Coalition for the Homeless, and The National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

Making Kids a Priority

Guest post by Michelle Gross, Project/Public Policy Manager, Prevent Child Abuse New York

In this recession, working families are struggling to meet their children’s basic needs. Five out of six children in low-income families have at least one adult who works.   These families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and gas in the car so they can get to work. The stress of these difficult financial times takes the heaviest toll on at-risk families. More than ever before, programs that support families, like home visiting, parenting education, family resource centers, fatherhood and kinship support, and child advocacy centers play a pivotal role in ensuring a stable and more prosperous future.

Yet, these services continue to be in danger of funding cuts. New York’s families’ health and well-being rests on the voices of advocates like you.  As we prepare for the New York State Budget proposal for 2010-11, we must be vigilant in continuing to contact our state government representatives, from the governor to the legislature, and even locally. Regularly updating your elected officials on your program’s successes helps to reinforce the important role it plays in supporting families. Every voice counts, and it is up to us to speak for those who cannot. It can be daunting to contact your representative, but your advocacy can make the difference between a program funding cut and a program funding expansion. Here are a few tips on calling your elected official’s office:

• When calling, you will likely reach a staff member rather than your representative directly. Staff             members can be just as influential as the legislator themselves.
• Be sure to tell the staff member your name and where you live. It’s important that they know you are a constituent.
• Inform the staffer of the reason for your call. It can  be as simple as saying that you’d like to make sure the program does not get cut in the state budget.
• Tell the staffer why the program is important and what difference it has made in your life or the lives of those around you.
• Thank the staffer for their time and ask for a follow  up if you feel its necessary.
• Always follow up a phone call with a letter restating your call.
• Call again in a month just to check in, and ask others to call on behalf of the program. Persistence is key in advocacy!

Again, remember that what you have to say matters. As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Children’s needs, long overlooked, should receive the highest priority during critical discussions leading to cuts in the New York State Budget. Far too few services are available at a time when demand is increasing greatly. We encourage our legislators to support programs that work, and to support families through this fiscal crisis.

For more information about Prevent Chils Abuse New York's Advocacy Programs, please visit our website: http://preventchildabuseny.org/advocacy.shtml

Traumatic Childhood Can Reduce Life Expectancy

A difficult childhood reduces life expectancy by up to 20 years according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The study found that participants who were exposed to more then five different types of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were over 50 percent more likely to die during the 10-year period of the study. On the other hand, people who reported fewer than six ACEs did not have a statistically increased risk of death compared with the control group.

Listen to a podcast Adversce Childhood Experiences and the Risk of Premature Mortality.

To explore the effect that childhood trauma could have on life span, Kaiser Permanente mailed questionnaires to adults who were 18 years and older, and who had visited the Kaiser clinic in San Diego from 1995 to 1997. Overall, the study subjects were middle-class and had good health coverage. Of those surveyed, 75 percent were white, 11 percent Latino, 7 percent Asian, and 5 percent African-American. They’re educated: 75 percent attended college and 40 percent have a basic or higher college education. When they filled out the questionnaire, their average age was 57. Most of them had jobs. Half were women, half were men.

The participants were asked about their exposure to eight categories of abuse or dysfunction based on previous Kaiser studies. One third of the 17,337 participants who replied to the questionnaires had an ACE score of zero, meaning they had not been exposed to any of the eight types of abuse or household dysfunction. The majority of the remaining responders registered a score of between one and four, whereas about 8 percent of the scoring participants were rated five, and roughly three percent, six to eight.

During the next decade, the study authors, kept records of which of the 17,337 participants passed away by matching identifying information such as Social Security numbers from the questionnaire with data from the National Death Index. In total 1,539 of the participants died during the follow-up period. When the increased number of deaths in those subjects with an ACE score of six or greater was compared with the control group, their mortality risk was 1.5 times higher than for people whose childhoods had been free of all eight types of abuse. They lost about 20 years from their lives, living to 60.6 years on average, whereas the average age of death for the control group was 79.1.
 
It is unclear why the authors saw more death ages during the 10-year period only for the group with an ACE score of six or greater. Previous studies by these authors found that the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, lung disease and cancer, was greater only for people with these high ACE scores. In contrast, the risk of substance abuse and suicide increased stepwise from low to high scores. The authors found that ACE-related health risks, namely mental illness, social problems and prescription medication use, accounted for about 30 percent of the 50 percent greater risk of death seen in this population. "As would be expected, the documented ACE-related conditions among participants appear to account for some, although not all, of the increased risk of premature death observed in the current study," wrote David Brown, an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and lead author of the study.