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The Oregon Department of Human Services reportedly is seeing more children at its Roseburg office, based largely on conditions outlined in a recent annual report by Children First for Oregon.
Advocates urge action to help children
Although state legislators and other officials are struggling to make budgetary ends meet, child advocates ask them not to neglect the needs of the state’s families and children.
“This time is not the time to cut aid for children and families,” said Gillian Wesenberg, director of the Douglas County Commission on Children and Families.
“Now is not the time to make cuts because there is more of a need.”
Wesenberg’s comments came in response to figures recently released by Children First for Oregon.
The Portland-based child advocacy group’s annual report shows more Oregon children than in 2007 are living in low-income households receiving public assistance. Statewide, fewer children have health care insurance.
In its 2008 report, Children First suggests elected officials act to improve the status of the state’s children.
The group calls on elected officials to expand health coverage for children as well as to implement employee-funded, paid family leave.
Children First calls on legislators to protect funding for human service programs on which families rely, such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Employment Related Day Care.
“This time is not the time to cut aid for children and families,” said Gillian Wesenberg, director of the Douglas County Commission on Children and Families.
“Now is not the time to make cuts because there is more of a need.”
Wesenberg’s comments came in response to figures recently released by Children First for Oregon.
The Portland-based child advocacy group’s annual report shows more Oregon children than in 2007 are living in low-income households receiving public assistance. Statewide, fewer children have health care insurance.
In its 2008 report, Children First suggests elected officials act to improve the status of the state’s children.
The group calls on elected officials to expand health coverage for children as well as to implement employee-funded, paid family leave.
Children First calls on legislators to protect funding for human service programs on which families rely, such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Employment Related Day Care.
Like other Oregonians, the state’s kids are feeling the effects of the economic downturn, according to an annual report just released by Children First for Oregon.
“The current recession has driven up Oregon’s unemployment rate and pushed many families into poverty,” the report states, also finding that “ ... more children are living in financially unstable homes, many of them without access to basic necessities like health care.”
Children First for Oregon is a Portland-based, independent child advocacy group. It released its 2008 “Status of Oregon’s Children County Data Book” on Tuesday. The book contains the most recent statistics on various indicators of child welfare statewide.
Locally, Gillian Wesenberg, director of the Douglas County Commission on Children & Families, said she and others have noticed the same trends.
More people are coming through the Department of Human Services’ doors, and many of them have never been there before, Wesenberg has been told.
“These are people that always had jobs, mortgages and car payments,” she added. “And suddenly, they don’t have the money to cover things.”
As they’ve lost their jobs, they’ve also lost health care insurance. So parents are having to decide “are they going to pay to go to the doctor or pay to go to the ER or pay for food?”
According to Children First for Oregon’s annual report, more than 140,000 children in the state live below the federal poverty line, which was defined as $20,650 for a family of four in 2007. The report states 110,000 Oregon children have no health coverage.
More than 200,000 families receive food stamps, an 11 percent hike over statistics listed in the 2007 report. And 34,512 families receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families — formerly known as welfare — an 8 percent hike.
The data book also contains statistics that reflect child welfare in each county. Although many indicators have improved in Douglas County over those in the 2007 report, the rates of infant mortality, of children who lack adequate immunizations and of youth suicide attempts have all shot up 10 percent or more, the report states.
Here’s a look at some of the statistics for the state as well as for Douglas County:
Statewide, the number of unemployment claims filed shot up 58 percent between November 2007 and November 2008. The median family income was $58,700, 5 percent lower than the national median.
In Douglas County, unemployment claims rose 38 percent. The median family income of $48,400 was 18 percent lower than the state median.
Statewide, 34,512 families received Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or TANF. And 19,870 families received child care subsidies through the state-funded Employment Related Day Care program.
In Douglas County, about 1,400 families received TANF and 638 received child care subsidies.
Changes in indicators of children’s health and access to health care were more mixed, according to the annual report.
In Oregon, 12.6 percent of children had no health insurance, 2 percent more than in the last report. About 78 percent of moms received adequate prenatal care, 1 percent fewer than in the last report.
In Douglas County, about 10 percent of kids had no health insurance, a 6 percent improvement over the 2007 report. About 83 percent of moms got adequate prenatal care, a 2 percent improvement.
Other health indicators plummeted in Douglas County.
Infant mortality rates shot up to 8.4 per 1,000 live births, a 15 percent rise. The number of children receiving adequate immunizations declined to 69.3 percent, a 14 percent drop.
And whereas the rate of teen pregnancies dropped 14 percent statewide, the teen pregnancy rate rose 2 percent in Douglas County. Almost 20 girls became pregnant for every 1,000 girls, aged 15 to 17, countywide.
The county data book also sheds light on the level of child abuse and neglect in the state and in Douglas County.
In the state, 6,019 children were abused or neglected in the state, 10 percent fewer than in last year’s report. In the county, 111 kids were abused or neglected, 19 percent fewer.
But the rate of recurrence of maltreatment of kids rose sharply, both in the state and the county. In Oregon, 7.8 percent of abused or neglected children were revictimized, a 16 percent hike.
In Douglas County, the rate of recurrence was 9.3 percent, or a 249 percent higher rate than 2007.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
“The current recession has driven up Oregon’s unemployment rate and pushed many families into poverty,” the report states, also finding that “ ... more children are living in financially unstable homes, many of them without access to basic necessities like health care.”
Children First for Oregon is a Portland-based, independent child advocacy group. It released its 2008 “Status of Oregon’s Children County Data Book” on Tuesday. The book contains the most recent statistics on various indicators of child welfare statewide.
Locally, Gillian Wesenberg, director of the Douglas County Commission on Children & Families, said she and others have noticed the same trends.
More people are coming through the Department of Human Services’ doors, and many of them have never been there before, Wesenberg has been told.
“These are people that always had jobs, mortgages and car payments,” she added. “And suddenly, they don’t have the money to cover things.”
As they’ve lost their jobs, they’ve also lost health care insurance. So parents are having to decide “are they going to pay to go to the doctor or pay to go to the ER or pay for food?”
According to Children First for Oregon’s annual report, more than 140,000 children in the state live below the federal poverty line, which was defined as $20,650 for a family of four in 2007. The report states 110,000 Oregon children have no health coverage.
More than 200,000 families receive food stamps, an 11 percent hike over statistics listed in the 2007 report. And 34,512 families receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families — formerly known as welfare — an 8 percent hike.
The data book also contains statistics that reflect child welfare in each county. Although many indicators have improved in Douglas County over those in the 2007 report, the rates of infant mortality, of children who lack adequate immunizations and of youth suicide attempts have all shot up 10 percent or more, the report states.
Here’s a look at some of the statistics for the state as well as for Douglas County:
Statewide, the number of unemployment claims filed shot up 58 percent between November 2007 and November 2008. The median family income was $58,700, 5 percent lower than the national median.
In Douglas County, unemployment claims rose 38 percent. The median family income of $48,400 was 18 percent lower than the state median.
Statewide, 34,512 families received Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or TANF. And 19,870 families received child care subsidies through the state-funded Employment Related Day Care program.
In Douglas County, about 1,400 families received TANF and 638 received child care subsidies.
Changes in indicators of children’s health and access to health care were more mixed, according to the annual report.
In Oregon, 12.6 percent of children had no health insurance, 2 percent more than in the last report. About 78 percent of moms received adequate prenatal care, 1 percent fewer than in the last report.
In Douglas County, about 10 percent of kids had no health insurance, a 6 percent improvement over the 2007 report. About 83 percent of moms got adequate prenatal care, a 2 percent improvement.
Other health indicators plummeted in Douglas County.
Infant mortality rates shot up to 8.4 per 1,000 live births, a 15 percent rise. The number of children receiving adequate immunizations declined to 69.3 percent, a 14 percent drop.
And whereas the rate of teen pregnancies dropped 14 percent statewide, the teen pregnancy rate rose 2 percent in Douglas County. Almost 20 girls became pregnant for every 1,000 girls, aged 15 to 17, countywide.
The county data book also sheds light on the level of child abuse and neglect in the state and in Douglas County.
In the state, 6,019 children were abused or neglected in the state, 10 percent fewer than in last year’s report. In the county, 111 kids were abused or neglected, 19 percent fewer.
But the rate of recurrence of maltreatment of kids rose sharply, both in the state and the county. In Oregon, 7.8 percent of abused or neglected children were revictimized, a 16 percent hike.
In Douglas County, the rate of recurrence was 9.3 percent, or a 249 percent higher rate than 2007.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
