These short articles identify how the COVID lockdown is impacting abused and neglected children in our communities today. These articles prove with statistics and stories that childhood trauma and abuse have grown during COVID. It’s evident that at risk youth need more help from the community if they are to be kept safe from the traumas of violence and neglect.
At the end of the page there is a link to locating your State Representative. Take five minutes and give voice to abused and neglected children by sharing one or more of these articles and thoughts with your legislator.
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Mount Pleasant officials want state regulators to close Westchester County child treatment center
Officials in Mount Pleasant, New York are pushing for the closure of the JCCA’s Westchester campus, a child welfare and mental health center for abused and neglected kids and teens. The officials claim that the center’s staff lacks proper training and that it is straining police and ambulance resources. Over the first half of 2023, police responded to 459 calls at the facility, including cases of missing persons, assaults, vandalism, and more. Mount Pleasant authorities presented a video of an alleged assault at the campus as evidence to support their case. The JCCA’s CEO acknowledges the need for more assistance to handle the complex psychological and behavioral needs of the children. The facility, which houses around 170 kids, is reported to be unequipped to handle certain behaviors. A previous incident involving a paralyzed 19-year-old who died two years later after a neck injury caused by a security officer has also fueled concerns.
“Pleasantville Volunteer Ambulance Corps have responded to calls for 248 missing persons, 24 assaults, 23 vandalism incidents, 13 violent altercations/fights, 11 suicide or self-harm threats, and countless emotionally disturbed children. By year’s end, they expect to have well over 1,000 calls.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/jcca-westchester-campus-mount-pleasant/
Mary L. Phan: To combat the youth mental health crisis, embrace mindfulness
The article discusses the worsening mental health crisis in children and teens, particularly in Utah. Rates of issues like anxiety and depression are rising, yet the practice of mindfulness, a proven technique to help, is being overlooked due to unfounded concerns. Mindfulness involves focusing on the present moment and acknowledging emotions. Studies show it reduces stress and improves focus for students. Despite its benefits, critics wrongly label it as part of a “woke” agenda. The author’s own research in Utah schools supports mindfulness’s positive impact on both teachers and students. The urgent need for solutions to the mental health crisis is highlighted, emphasizing that mindfulness is a cost-effective tool that should not be caught in cultural debates.
“The 2021 Utah Adolescent Health Report found nearly one-in-five students seriously considered suicide. More than 18% reported self-harm, and 35% said they felt sad or helpless.”
See next link for statistics from the 2021 Utah Adolescent Health Report referenced in this article
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2023/07/13/mary-l-phan-combat-youth-mental/
35.1% of Utah students in grades 8, 10, and 12 reported feeling sad or hopeless.
27.2% of Utah students in grades 8, 10, and 12 experience psychological distress.
18.6% of Utah students in grades 8, 10, and 12 reported self-harm.
19.0% of Utah students in grades 8, 10, and 12 reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide at some point during the past 12 months.
14.4% of Utah students in grades 8, 10, and 12 reported making a plan about how they would attempt suicide within the past 12 months.
7.0% of Utah students in grades 8, 10, and 12 reported that they had made one or more suicide attempts in the past 12 months.
36.7% of Utah students reported feeling anxious, sad, or hopeless in the past year due to COVID-19. Female students (48.5%) were significantly more likely to report having these feelings than male students (23.3%).
https://health.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021-Utah-Adolescent-Health-Report.pdf
Adverse childhood experiences, traumatic events, and mental health among adults at two outpatient psychiatric facilities in Johannesburg, South Africa: a cross-sectional analysis
The study looked at how difficult childhoods and traumatic events as adults affect mental health in Johannesburg, South Africa. Many participants had depression (44.66%), anxiety (47.57%), and stress (17%). Hard childhood experiences increased depression risk by 12%, and adult trauma raised it by 16%. Females had more symptoms. The research stresses the need to help people with rough pasts for better mental health care, especially in places with limited resources.
https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-05085-0
As the mental health crisis in children and teens worsens, the dire shortage of mental health providers is preventing young people from getting the help they need
The article explains that the US lacks enough mental health services for young people, leading to tragic outcomes like a 14-year-old attempting suicide after waiting for treatment. Rising suicide and violence rates among youth highlight the problem. There aren’t sufficient child psychiatrists and therapists, and stress from online and real-life sources worsens their mental health. The healthcare system doesn’t provide adequate help and is costly. Solutions include better doctor training, more hotlines, and easier access to mental health care.
“From 2007 through 2021, suicide rates among young people ages 10 to 24 increased by 62%. From 2014 to 2021, homicide rates rose by 60%. The situation is so grim that in October 2021, health care professionals declared a national emergency in child mental health.”
Emergency room doctors beg for help treating children with mental health illnesses
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Emergency Physicians, and the Emergency Nurses Association are calling for increased access to mental health services within local communities to address the issue before emergency care is needed. Each year, around half a million children with mental or behavioral health conditions are assessed in emergency departments, and this number has been on the rise. Emergency departments are not fully equipped to handle mental health crises, and the groups recommend actions like forming community-based teams, adding mental health professionals to emergency departments, and offering support and resources to emergency staff dealing with high-risk groups.
The number of adolescents seeking psychiatric emergency care in her ER has grown from approximately 30 a month in recent years to 30 a day
The Management of Children and Youth With Pediatric Mental and Behavioral Health Emergencies
The increase in kids with mental health emergencies is straining emergency rooms (ERs). ERs aren’t fully equipped for this and the problem is growing. About half a million kids with mental health issues go to the ER each year, and this has been rising. ERs lack enough staff and resources to handle these cases well. To improve, the writers of the article suggest having community teams to help kids with mental health problems outside of the ER, putting more mental health doctors in the ER, supporting ER staff to care for at-risk kids, ensuring kids get proper care after leaving the ER, by connecting them to community mental health services, and training ER staff to better understand and treat mental health issues.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Maltreated Children Grown Up: The Influence of Neighborhood
This research investigates the impact of childhood maltreatment and neighborhood features on PTSD symptoms. It shows that residing in more advantaged neighborhoods leads to fewer PTSD symptoms, regardless of maltreatment history. However, living in a less favorable neighborhood mainly makes people without a history of tough experiences feel more symptoms. Facing different types of tough situations during childhood makes it more likely to have symptoms, but where you live doesn’t strongly affect going through different types of tough situations. This research highlights how childhood experiences and neighborhoods work together in shaping how PTSD-related stress affects mental health.
People who went through abuse or neglect had more PTSD symptoms (1.27 times more likely)
Those who were abused or neglected had a higher chance of getting a lifetime PTSD diagnosis (1.45 times more likely)
Growing up in better neighborhoods meant fewer PTSD symptoms (0.78 times less likely)
Abuse or neglect combined with tough neighborhoods might lower the chance of a lifetime PTSD diagnosis (20% less likely) *I was surprised, but assume because it “toughens the mindset”*
Abuse or neglect combined with tough neighborhoods meant fewer PTSD symptoms (0.69 times less likely)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6386600/
COVID-19 and the unseen pandemic of child abuse
The article discusses how COVID-19 lockdowns have negatively affected children beyond health concerns, leading to educational loss, mental health decline, and increased child abuse. The authors question the effectiveness of lockdowns in curbing the virus and present evidence of a rise in child abuse cases during lockdowns. They highlight the paradox of increased hospitalizations for child abuse alongside fewer official reports due to lockdown disruptions. Urgent research and actions are needed to understand and address these issues, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding children’s well-being during pandemic responses.
From the study:
More than 55% of adolescents experienced emotional abuse during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic alone, with socially vulnerable adolescents disproportionately harmed.
These results were compared with a similar pre-lockdown survey which found 5.5% physical abuse and 13.9% emotional abuse in 2013.
https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/6/1/e001553
Effects of COVID-19 Restrictions on Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health: A Scoping Review
The study aimed to understand the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on children’s mental health. Anxiety, depression, and fear of the virus were common issues. School closures heightened negative emotions. Depression and anxiety prevalence was notable, particularly among older adolescents and females. Protective factors included social connectedness and prosocial behaviors. However, data biases and lack of standardized measures were limitations. The study underscores the severe impact of the pandemic on children’s mental health, suggesting consideration of mental well-being in restrictive measures and highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and further research.
The prevalence of depression among females was 33.9% compared to 28.9% in males.
The prevalence of depression among children and adolescents was reported as 29% based on 12 studies. This varied between age groups, with 34.4% for those aged 13-18 and 11.8% for those under 12.
The prevalence of anxiety was reported as 26% across 13 studies. Similar to depression, prevalence differed by age, with 29.1% for adolescents aged 13-18 and 15.7% for those under 12.
Violence, Crime, and Abuse Exposure in a National Sample of Children and Youth
The article discusses the findings of the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence II, (conducted in 2011-2013 so it is a bit older but still important stats), & aims to provide insights into childhood exposure to violence, crime, and abuse.
- Approximately 41.2% of children and youth experienced physical assault in the last year, with 10.1% sustaining assault-related injuries.
- About 2% of children and youth experienced sexual assault or abuse in the last year. Girls aged 14 to 17 years had significantly higher rates (10.7%).
- Around 13.7% of children experienced maltreatment by caregivers, including 3.7% subjected to physical abuse.
- Property victimization affected 24.1% of children and youth, including vandalism and theft.
- Roughly 22.4% of children and youth witnessed violence in their family or community. Witnessing family assaults and community assaults were common.
- A significant portion (57.7%) of children and youth experienced or witnessed at least one type of victimization in the last year, with many exposed to multiple forms.
- Emotional abuse by caregivers was frequent, with 8% experiencing it in the last year and 25.7% over their lifetimes. Physical abuse by caregivers affected 3.7% in the last year and 18.2% over lifetimes, particularly among older youth.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/1686983
Child Maltreatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Rapid Review
The study discusses studies on the connection between the COVID-19 pandemic and child maltreatment. Results have been mixed, with some studies showing increased cases, some showing decreases, and others showing no significant change. The studies used different methods, like comparing past data or using predictive models. Factors like parental stress and economic hardships likely contributed to the variations. The impact also differed by location and pandemic policies.
**Studies conducted in hospital settings generally reported an increase in child maltreatment cases during the pandemic, while those based on crime reports and Child Protective Services records found a decrease in child maltreatment cases. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031395521000833?via%3Dihub
Girl, 5, has not been seen since return to biological family
A 5-year-old girl named Oakley Carlson has been missing since February in Washington state. She had been living with foster parents, Jamie Jo Hiles and Eric, since she was 7 months old. Her biological parents are in jail on charges related to endangering a child. She was placed back into the care of her biological parents just before covid lockdown started and they got out of prison. The reintroduction period DCF set up took less than 30 days. Concerns about Oakley’s whereabouts arose after a house fire in November 2021, during which her absence was noticed. The school principal, Jessica Swift, escalated the situation after learning that Oakley was no longer living with her parents. Investigators found evidence suggesting that Oakley hadn’t been at her parents’ home for a while but her parents were of no help. Only reporting their daughter as missing after police and DCF showed up demanding to physically see her. Her sister told family friends that “Mama said Oakley was eaten by wolves” and became visibly distraught. She also said things like “There is no Oakley anymore”. Oakley’s foster mother expressed heartbreak and anger, believing that if Oakley had remained in their care, she might have been spared from reported abuse. People believe she has either been murdered or sold into child trafficking to fund their drug addiction. The case is ongoing.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/missing/girl-5-has-not-been-seen-since-return-to-biological-family/
One year into COVID-19: What have we learned about child maltreatment reports and child protective service responses?
The article discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child maltreatment reports and the responses of Child Protective Services in various regions across the globe. It is part of an ongoing study that aims to examine how the pandemic has affected child protection systems and the well-being of children.The study covers 12 regions, including Australia (New South Wales), Brazil, United States (California, Pennsylvania), Colombia, England, Germany, Israel, Japan, Canada (Ontario, Quebec), and South Africa. The researchers gathered data on demographics, COVID-19 policies, and CPS responses to understand the COVID-19 situation.
Most important takeaway:
During the COVID-19 lockdowns in Pennsylvania, there was a significant decrease in child maltreatment reports to Child Protective Services and the General Protective Services system. Initially, reports increased in early 2020 compared to the previous year, but from March to May, there was a steep decline in reports (-30.1% March, -57.7% April, and -48.0% May) coinciding with school closures and stay-at-home orders. This trend continued throughout the year, resulting in an average decline of 28.2% from March to December compared to the previous year. A similar pattern was observed in the GPS system, with reports dropping by -20.6%, -47.2%, and -39.2% from March to May. The decline in reports was more prominent among mandated reporters compared to non-mandated ones. This information comes from preliminary data provided to the Pennsylvania Children and Youth Administrators Association.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213421005421
*KARA note; Being locked into a toxic home with no access to safety most likely increases abuse by significant margin (we estimate 50 to 100%).
Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentation and severity of traumatic injury due to physical child abuse across US children’s hospitals
This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical child abuse cases in the United States. Using data from the Pediatric Health Information System, the study finds that during the pandemic, there was a significant decrease in the number of reported cases of physical child abuse presenting to children’s hospitals. However, the cases that did present were more severe, with increased odds of ICU admission and traumatic brain injury in children under 5 years old.
- Over the study period, 20,346 physical child abuse encounters were reported by 47 children’s hospitals.
- An interrupted time series model predicted a decline in physical child abuse cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a deficit of 2,645 reported cases.
- Children presenting with physical child abuse during the pandemic had increased odds of requiring ICU admission (increased by 1.26) and traumatic brain injury in those under 5 years old (increased by 1.33).
- The study found associations between younger age, public insurance, geographic location, and increased physical child abuse during the pandemic.
- Reported cases of physical child abuse in children under 5 years old decreased by 724 cases, and those with specific ICD10 diagnosis codes for child abuse decreased by 334 cases during the pandemic.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022346821004863
Changes in pediatric trauma during COVID-19 stay-at-home epoch at a tertiary pediatric hospital
The article explores the impact of stay-at-home regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic on patterns of pediatric trauma.
- During COVID-19, there were 392 pediatric trauma encounters.
- The average number of pediatric trauma encounters pre-COVID-19 (2015-2019) was 467.6.
- Overall trauma admissions and ED trauma encounters were significantly lower during COVID-19.
- Burn injury admissions increased from 64 to 79 during COVID-19.
- Penetrating trauma encounters increased from 34 to 43 during COVID-19.
- Blunt trauma encounters decreased from 359 to 270 during COVID-19.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022346821000403
How much did lockdown help Arthur Labinjo-Hughes’ killers escape notice?
The article discusses the brutal murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes by his stepmother during the COVID-19 lockdown. The case raises questions about the impact of lockdown on detecting child abuse, as signs may have gone unnoticed due to reduced social interaction. It highlights challenges faced by child protection services during the pandemic, with fewer referrals and increased serious incidents involving children. The tragedy underscores the need to improve safeguarding, family support, and funding for child protection, while avoiding scapegoating of social workers.
**The article prompts questions about the effectiveness of child protection services during lockdown, as signs of abuse might have been overlooked due to reduced social interactions and closed schools. The pandemic led to a decrease in referrals to children’s social care departments and an increase in serious incidents involving children, highlighting the vulnerability of at-risk youth during COVID-19.
The Hidden Pandemic of Family Violence During COVID-19: Unsupervised Learning of Tweets
The article discusses the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and family violence based on a study that analyzed public discourse on Twitter. The study used a large dataset of over 1 million tweets mentioning family violence and COVID-19 from April 12 to July 16, 2020. The study aimed to understand how family violence was discussed in the context of the pandemic. This was an interesting study because other studies I came across said that there was a decrease in formally reported cases of violence and child abuse, but in twitter, the publics forum to vent frustrations, there was an uptick in keywords and terms.
Risk factors such as drug abuse, alcohol abuse, financial constraints, access to guns, and human trafficking were frequently mentioned. Quarantines and social isolation increased the likelihood of violence within households. Twitter users discussed various types of family violence occurring during the pandemic, including child abuse/maltreatment, domestic violence, and sexual violence. The pandemic seemed to intensify existing forms of violence. Twitter discussions highlighted rising rates of domestic violence during the pandemic. There was an increase in hotline calls, violence reports, and cases reported, indicating a spike in family violence incidents.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7652592/
Youth Firearm Injury: A Review for Pediatric Critical Care Clinicians
The article focuses on firearm injuries among youth in the United States and the role of pediatric critical care clinicians in prevention and treatment.
- The rates of firearm-related homicide and suicide among youth increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbating the issue.
- Boys account for 90% of firearm-related deaths among youth, and youth of color, particularly Black youth, are disproportionately affected.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36898779/
The study investigated the characteristics of fatal child abuse involving biological parents and surrogate parents. The researchers analyzed data from the Georgia National Violent Death Reporting System on homicides of children under 18 years old from 2011 to 2017.
- Out of 452 pediatric homicides, there were 219 cases of fatal child abuse. Of these cases, 60% involved biological parents, and 29% involved surrogate parents.
- Children killed by surrogate parents were generally older (4 vs. 3 years), more often male (71% vs. 51%), and more likely to have survived the initial injury and reached the emergency department before death (96% vs. 69%). They were also less likely to have a medical comorbidity (2% vs. 11%).
- Surrogate parents who committed fatal child abuse were more likely to be male (90% vs. 48%) and more likely to use a firearm to inflict the injury (20% vs. 13%).
- The race/ethnicity of the child was not associated with the parent’s relationship.
- Child abuse accounted for half of all pediatric homicides.
- The findings suggest that identifying abuse in a timely manner could potentially prevent some of these deaths, as most children had a history of abuse.
Characterizing child maltreatment fatalities among child victims with disabilities in the United States, 2010–2019
The objective of the study was to examine fatalities resulting from child maltreatment in children with disabilities across the United States. The researchers utilized data from the National Violent Death Reporting System spanning from 2010 to 2019. Their analysis aimed to provide insights into child maltreatment-related deaths among children with disabilities aged 0 to 17 years.
- There were 106 fatalities that met the study criteria. The average age of the victims was 5.9 years, and 74.6% of them were male.
- The most common suspected perpetrators of maltreatment-related fatalities were biological mothers (35.2%), and most perpetrators were White (55.7%).
- The findings showed that children with disabilities who died as a result of abuse were more likely to have autism spectrum disorder, a developmental disability, or other physical impairment. Physical abuse was the most common type of abuse resulting in death.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0145213423003423?via%3Dihub
KARA note; This MN study from from roughly the same period describes 200 children that were murdered by their caregivers while in Child Protective Services. Minnesota is a small state and has been a leader in child well being. It is highly likely that most other states would find significantly more children murdered by their caregivers while in CPS (especially states with poor health, insurance, education and child protection policy).
https://safepassageforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Gehrman-R.-Karrow-M.-2023.-Minnesota-Child-Fatalities-from-Maltreatment-2014-2022.pdf
(This report is the only one of it’s kind in the U.S. in its depth and scope at this time). Over roughly the same time period it describes how and why 200 MN children were murdered by their caregivers while in Child Protective Services. Minnesota is a small state and has been a leader in child well being. It is probably that most other states, especially states with larger populations and fewer services for at risk children and families) are witnessing the murder of 300 to 600 children over these similar time periods. KARA highly recommends copying the report and funding this kind of report in other states. Send it to your state representative with a note suggesting this. Find Your State Rep here.
The economic burden of child sexual abuse in the United States
This study focuses on estimating the economic burden of child sexual abuse in the United States. It analyzes both fatal and nonfatal cases of child sexual abuse and breaks down the associated costs into multiple categories.
- The study estimates 40,387 new cases of substantiated CSA in 2015, with 30,290 cases involving female victims and 10,097 cases involving male victims.
- The study estimates that there were 20 deaths resulting directly from CSA in 2015. The total lifetime costs associated with these fatal cases were approximately $23.63 million.
- Child health care costs: $579.85 million for females, $144.97 million for males.
- Adult health care costs: $399.10 million for females, $99.78 million for males.
- Productivity losses: $6.77 billion for females.
- Child welfare costs: $336.56 million for females, $84.14 million for males.
- Violence/crime costs (including assault, robbery, burglary, theft): $56.09 million for females, $14.02 million for males.
- Special education costs: $151.84 million for females, $37.96 million for males.
- Suicide deaths: $980.27 million for females, $362.73 million for males.
- When combining both fatal and nonfatal cases, the study estimates the total lifetime economic burden of CSA to be approximately $9.34 billion. This includes $8.58 billion for female victims and $758.60 million for male victims.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6542279/
This post submitted by Baypath University
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