Charlotte County had fourth highest rate across Florida in 2017

by Anne Easker, Staff Writer, Charlotte Sun

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the most recent data from the Florida Department of Health shows Charlotte County with the fourth highest rate of child abuse in the state for children ages 5 through 11. 

In 2017, the county had 1,770.9 cases per 100,000 population, or 148 total children experiencing abuse. The number is somewhat lower than the peak in 2015 at 2,264.6 per 100,000 population, or 194 total children. Sarasota County had 182 children
experiencing abuse in 2017, or 797.6 per 100,000 population.

Jennifer Sexton, spokesperson for the Department of Health in Charlotte County, said she couldn’t guess what’s driven up Charlotte County’s numbers in recent years, but she noted for actual cases, Charlotte County ranks 24th. Regardless, the Department of Health and the Healthy Charlotte Council are committed to driving the rate back down, she said.

Last fall, Healthy Charlotte looked at local child abuse data, among other health issues in the
county and decided to create an action plan, which will be unveiled at the April 23 Healthy Charlotte Steering Committee Meeting.

The focus of the plan is on educating the community on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, substance use disorders, incarceration of a family member, parental separation or
divorce, domestic violence, and mental illness.

“We are currently focused on educating everybody and every organization in Charlotte County about ACEs science, including the lasting health impacts of childhood abuse and other traumas,” Sexton said. “For example, ACEs can significantly influence a person’s health,  economic standing, and educational attainment, which are all protective factors for an
individual.”

Two out of three adults have one or more ACE, she said, but their impact can be
minimized by the amount of support a child has.

Celecia Lyew-Kong, of Behavior Analysis, Inc., is the director of one program that aims to support children coming out of difficult situation by better equipping their foster parents. Serving, the 20th Judicial Circuit, the program teaches positive methods for managing difficult behavior. Children who have been abused or neglected might hoard toys or food, or act out negatively to get attention, because they’re used to getting a response that way.

“One of the big things we say all the time is ‘Your normal is not their normal,’ Lyew-Kong said. “You need to be understanding and meet them where they’re at as opposed to doing a
comparison of where we are or where our children are.”

The most important tool is helping foster parents develop a strong bond with their children.
“This may be the first healthy bond the child is experiencing,” she said.  “We want to make sure the foster parents that we work with are building a strong relationship, one that’s very
loving, one that’s very supportive, one that’s setting them up for success.”

Healthy Charlotte is using a social network called ACEs Connection to track its impact, Sexton said. The network is working to “accelerate the global movement toward recognizing the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in shaping adult behavior and health, and reforming all communities and institutions — from schools to prisons to hospitals and churches — to help heal and develop a resilient community network of resources.”

In its 2-year plan, Healthy Charlotte plans to educate 1,740 individuals in Charlotte County about ACEs science, engage ten residents to join the local ACEs initiative, and find 20 organizations to commit to integrating  trauma-informed and resilience-based practices.

Other initiatives within the county to reduce child abuse include the Green Dot program, which offers bystander training for individuals to intervene. Director Chris Hall said intervention doesn’t mean a bystander has to get directly involved in someone else’s business. The direct
approach is one way, but there’s also delegating and distracting.