By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The number of abused and neglected child cases in Wood County dropped last year after hitting record highs the last three years.
But that doesn’t mean less work for Wood County Children’s Services, according to Dave Wigent, director of the Wood County Department of Job and Family Services.
“The downtick does not result in less work,” he told the county commissioners on Tuesday.
The total cases handled by Children’s Services in 2019 was 811, compared to 884 the year before.
“They don’t show the whole picture,” Wigent said of the statistics. “We believe the severity is up.”
Last year, drugs were involved in 243 cases – with 119 being opiate cases. That is fewer overall drug cases for the year, but more involving opiates.
And those cases often drag on, since opiates are so hard for parents to kick, according to Brandy Laux, of Children’s Services.
“Those cases are open longer,” she said. “We can’t solve the problem quickly.”
The office is finding that cases involving addicted parents often involve child neglect, rather than child abuse.
“More are passed out on the sofa than beating their children,” Wigent said.
Wigent also pointed out that many of the reported abuse or neglect cases don’t rise to the level of needing full investigations. Some can be resolved with services being offered.
“I think it bears remembering we don’t investigate every call,” with roughly half of the reports resolved without a case being established, he said.
And only about 100 of the 811 cases last year had to be taken to court, he said.
But he also reminded the commissioners that many offenses against children go unreported.
“Only a portion of the abuse going on in the county is reported to us,” Wigent said.
Following are the stats from Children’s Services for 2019, compared to numbers from the year before:
- Physical abuse was up to 235 cases, compared to 176 in 2018.
- Sexual abuse cases dropped to 104 from 142 the year before.
- Neglect cases were down to 389, compared to 492 in 2018.
- Emotional abuse was up to 35 cases from 21 the year before.
- Dependency was about the same at 14 cases, compared to 15 in 2018.
- Families in need of services decreased a bit, to 34 from 38.
- Cases with drugs involved added up to 243, compared to 260 the year before. More involved opiates in 2019.
After a report of abuse or neglect is screened, a caseworker has to have face-to-face contact with the child and family within 24 hours.
When children are removed from their homes, Children’s Services has been working to find “kinship” locations for them with other family members.
“It’s better for the kids,” if they stay with family than strangers, Wigent said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Currently the county has about 38 children in kinship settings, and 67 in foster care.
Kinship placement also saves the county money, he said.
Foster care costs about $35 per day, per child, while there is no payment for “kin” who take in children. However, the county can help those families if they are struggling with rent payments or utility bills, Laux said.
“It’s better for kids and saves money in the long run,” Wigent said.
