IN THIS ISSUE:

• MCC Issues Nation's First State Call To Action to End Child Abuse and Neglect in Massachusetts
• Governor Swift Proposes $26M to Strengthen DSS Workforce & Network of Foster Parents
• Upcoming Community Forum: "Ending Child Abuse and Neglect in Massachusetts: A Citizen Call To Action" October 18, 2001, in Lexington, MA.


• SBS Cases in Worcester Spark Renewed "Never Shake A Baby" Campaign


• Coping With the September 11th Tragedy - Resources for parents and caretakers of young children

 

MCC Issues Nation's First State Call To Action to End Child Abuse and Neglect in Massachusetts
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Massachusetts Citizens for Children released the country's first comprehensive State Call To Action this spring, urging the Commonwealth and its citizens to support a broad scale effort to end child abuse and neglect in the state. The effort follows the lead of over 30 national organizations that have joined in a National Call To Action to push for federal policies aimed at ending child maltreatment in the United States. The detailed Massachusetts Kids Count report was developed with input from over 200 experts in child welfare, health/mental heath, and law enforcement over a two-year period. It builds the case for an unprecedented state commitment to address a problem that results in staggering human and fiscal costs borne by child victims, communities, and the Commonwealth.

The Call to Action details the following three-point strategy of "Protecting, Preventing, and Healing" to improve state child protection systems; expand local family support and child abuse prevention efforts; and heal child victims through effective interventions and treatment. Its vision includes:

1. PROTECTING: Our systems of protecting children will be revised and strengthened to deliver the highest quality response.
2. PREVENTING: Families of our youngest children will receive the support and education necessary, so that their children will not be subjected to child maltreatment.
3. HEALING: Any child who is abused or neglected will receive the full complement of therapeutic and other supports needed to recover as fully as possible from the effects of that maltreatment.

MCC Executive Director Jetta Bernier reports: "According to recent UMass/MCC polling, citizens overwhelmingly recognize that child abuse is a significant problem in our state. They believe reforms are needed, and are willing to pay to reduce the enormous human and fiscal costs associated with its effects. The challenge now is to use this documented public will to build a strong, bi-partisan political will to get the job done." MCC and its colleagues are working to implement the Call To Action by identifying needed funding and legislation, and by mobilizing a broad constituency of concerned citizens from the public and private sectors.

The full report is available online at www.masskids.org.

 

Governor Swift Proposes $26M to Strengthen DSS Workforce & Network of Foster Parents
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Acting Governor Jane Swift introduced a Supplemental Budget this July, just three months after the release of MCC's State Call To Action, that would allocate $26 million to establish a Department of Social Services (DSS) Workforce Improvement Fund, establish an MSW Recruitment and Retention Fund, and finance a media campaign to recruit new foster parents. This new funding will help address the longstanding and critical shortage of Masters of Social Work-trained caseworkers at DSS and help stem the highest worker turnover of any state agency. It will also expand the number of available foster homes, and give workers and foster parents the support they need to serve the abused, neglected and at-risk children of our state.

The Massachusetts budget has not yet been passed, so we urge all citizens to contact their legislators and ask for their support on Gov. Swift's Supplemental Budget as soon as possible. Visit the Massachusetts Citizens for Children web site, www.masskids.org, and take action online, through the MCC Online Legislative Action Center! Create an email or letter using our sample message, or create your own message. It's easy and it only takes a few minutes.

Upcoming Community Forum: "Ending Child Abuse and Neglect in Massachusetts: A Citizen Call To Action"
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On October 18, 2001, there will be a community forum in Lexington, MA. The forum will discuss "A State Call to Action: Working To End Child Abuse and Neglect in Massachusetts," the first comprehensive, state plan in the country to integrate child protection reforms, child abuse prevention/family support strategies, and treatment-focused recommendations. According to the Boston Globe, the Call To Action "has quickly changed the context of the debate .from 'what can be done' to 'how much can we do and when,' essentially challenging politicians and policy makers to take substantive action now that someone has put together a detailed plan of attack."

The public is encouraged to attend. Jetta Bernier, Executive Director, and Nora Sjoblom Sanchez, Esq., Policy Analyst, of Massachusetts Citizens for Children, will present the findings and lead the discussion. The forum is sponsored by the Lexington PTA. For further information please call Amy Winter, 781-402-0048.

Ending Child Abuse and Neglect in Massachusetts: A Citizen Call To Action Date & Time: October 18, 2001, 7 - 9 PM
Location: Bridge School Library, 55 Middleby Road, Lexington, MA

 

Cases in Worcester Spark Renewed "Never Shake A Baby" Campaign
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Infant death and injuries from Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) in Worcester County over the past months have fueled efforts to establish a comprehensive, countywide SBS prevention initiative. Joining other Worcester area leaders, MCC has begun the process of developing this multi-year prevention effort. MCC intends to incorporate research and successful practices that agencies in other states, such as Utah and New York, have utilized in their own SBS prevention programs.

MCC launched its initial statewide Never Shake A Baby education campaign in 1996, months before the tragic death of Matthew Eappen, and since then has continued to promote efforts to reduce infant death and disability from Shaken Baby Syndrome. The lessons learned in other communities and states show that SBS education efforts are largely successful; a nine-county western New York State effort launched by Children's Hospital of Buffalo has shown impressive outcomes. The in-hospital SBS prevention education project aimed at new parents resulted in a 75% reduction in SBS cases over 18 months.

Once Worcester County's SBS prevention programs are in place, MCC and community leaders will move to expand the programs into other Massachusetts communities. Look for further information and updates in future newsletters.

 

Coping With the September 11th Tragedy
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Several web sites have responded with resources for parents to help their children cope with the September 11th tragedy:

Connect for Kids
"The Aftershocks of National Tragedy"
http://www.connectforkids.org/

Massachusetts Medical Society
"Talking to Children About Tragedy: Web Resources" -
http://www.massmed.org/

Save the Children
"Tragedy in America: Helping Children Cope"
http://www.savethechildren.org/

 

The Massachusetts Campaign for Children is a program of Massachusetts Citizens for Children. Its mission is to build and maintain a statewide, grassroots membership organization, which can then become a powerful voice for the children of our state. The Campaign's goal is to engage in non-partisan electoral and legislative actions at the local and state levels that promote the well-being of all Massachusetts children, youth, and their families, and help us move children's issues to the center of every political arena.

We believe that all our children have the right: to be free from poverty; to get the medical and preventive care they need; to learn in quality child care and school settings; to be safe from abuse, neglect, and violence; and to live in caring families and healthy communities.

Please share this newsletter with your friends and colleagues, and urge them to join with us to become a powerful voice for the children of our state. We urge you, too, to join with us, or renew your membership if you are already a member. The Campaign for Children is a non-profit independent advocacy organization, and we receive no state or federal funding. We rely entirely on the generosity of our members and donors. Please visit www.masskids.org to join online; or call 800-CHILDREN for a free information packet.

 

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Massachusetts Campaign for Children 14 Beacon Street, Suite 706 . Boston, MA 02108 . 617-742-8555 . campaign@masskids.org

Deborah Ferreri, Campaign for Children Coordinator . deborah@masskids.org
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To subscribe to this newsletter please visit our web site at www.masskids.org, or send an email to subscribe@masskids.org. To unsubscribe please send an email to unsubscribe@masskids.org.