CARES: Medical assessments for child abuse victims

CARES Northwest is a collaborative, community-based medical program for the assessment and treatment of child abuse. This month we thought we would share with you some information from the services we provided in 2011.

Of the 1,512 children who received outpatient assessment services at CARES Northwest this past year:

• An average of 126 were served each month
• An average of 6 were served each day
• Gender: 67% girls and 33% boys
• Age:
  Preschool (<5): 26%
  Elementary school (5-12): 49%
  Teen (13-17): 25%

Referral concerns (alone or with other concerns; total exceeds 100%):

• Sexual Abuse: 59%
• Physical Abuse: 29%
• High risk environment: 24%
• Neglect*: 9%
• Witness to violence: 6%
• Drug-endangered child: 4%
• Non-abuse/second medical opinion: 1%

*Most often, children evaluated for concerns of neglect are evaluated for other types of abuse as well.

Your generous support helps make it possible for us to serve the growing number of children who need our help. For more information, please visit www.legacyhealth.org/caresnwgiving or contact CARES Northwest at 503-276-9000.