April 2, 2013 -- Who: CARES Northwest and Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel physicians and staff will plant over 190 bluepinwheels in the Children’s Healing Garden to raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month. The pinwheel stands as an uplifting reminder of childhood and the bright future all children deserve.
Dr. Dan Leonhardt, pediatric child abuse specialist, is available at 1:30 p.m.
When: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, planting begins at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Children’s Healing Garden, Legacy Emanuel, 2801 N. Gantenbein Avenue, Portland
Media may meet Legacy Health public relations staff at main admitting at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center at 1:00 p.m. Media may park in Parking Structure 1 on N. Gantenbein Avenue.
Portland, OR — Over 286,000 children are served by child abuse advocacy centers in the U.S. every year. For 26 years CARES Northwest (Child Abuse Response and Evaluation Services) has cared for and assessed more than 30,000 children when there is concern of abuse or neglect. Founded in 1987, CARES is raising awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month through the month of April.
On April 10, over 190 bright blue pinwheels will be on display in the Children’s Healing Garden to recognize April as Child Abuse Prevention month. The pinwheel stands as an uplifting reminder of childhood and the bright future all children deserve.
Renowned throughout Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and U.S. for child abuse treatment and resources, CARES Northwest is the only provider of medically-based child abuse assessment and intervention services in Multnomah and Washington counties. As a regional service provider, the organization provides training and consultation throughout Oregon. CARES Northwest is supported by four regional health systems: Randall Children’s Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, Oregon Health Sciences University and Providence Health and Services.
10 Signs of child abuse and neglect are:
- Unexplained injuries
- Changes in sleeping
- Changes in behavior
- Changes in school performance and attendance
- Returning to earlier behaviors
- Lack of personal care or hygiene
- Fear of going home
- Risk-taking behaviors
- Changes in eating
- Inappropriate sexual behaviors
How to report child abuse
If someone is being hurt or is in danger right now, call 911 immediately. The children seen at CARES Northwest are some of our most vulnerable children. Often, the danger to our children does not lie outside the home but within it. These children need us to work together with the community to stop the cycle of abuse.
If you have immediate concerns about the possible abuse of a child, please call the child abuse hotline in your county (for Multnomah County, call 503-731-3100 for Washington County, call 503-681-6917) or dial 911.
Your support is needed
The revolving door of abuse along with the increase in cases around our region is a major point of concern for those who are fighting to make a difference. CARES Northwest relies on donations from the community to assist the thousands of children who are referred to its clinic, and to increase the community’s awareness and understanding of child abuse. Your donation will make a positive impact and help us protect our community’s most valuable asset – our children. To make a donation, please visit www.legacyhealth.org/giving or call503-415-4700.
