Paint the Town Blue for Child Abuse Prevention Awareness
On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, the Marion County Board of Commissioners proclaimed the month of April to be Child Abuse Prevention Month in Marion County. The proclamation represents Marion County’s continued commitment to raise public awareness of the prevalence of child abuse and neglect and what each of us can do to prevent it.
“We take this work seriously as Commissioners, and we try our best to expand services to other parts of the county and ensure everyone has access to services,” said Commissioner Danielle Bethell. “I’m excited for the Liberty House ribbon cutting on Friday, and I’m equally happy for a future expansion to come for CASA in Woodburn.
“Kids and families shouldn’t have to leave their communities to seek help.”
There were 10,711 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect in Oregon in 2022, and 1,098 of these were victims in Marion County. Of those children, 41.6% were five years old or younger.
As in previous years, there will be a Blue Ribbon Tree serving as a symbol to the campaign's prevention efforts at River Front Park. This tree serves as a sobering reminder to our community why we must stay focused on preventing child abuse and neglect before it starts.
On Friday morning, April 5, 2024, Marion County commissioners will participate in the “Paint the Town Blue” parade from the Oregon State Fairgrounds to the Salem Family YMCA, joining community partners in recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month. Commissioners will then attend the grand opening of the expanded Liberty House facility in Woodburn. Additionally, county buildings will display blue lights for the Month of April.
“Protecting these kids is such a priority for me,” said Commissioner Kevin Cameron, Chair. “The more we can help these young kids and protect them and connect them and their parents with the resources they need to recover, the larger the generational impacts on not only their families, but our entire community.”
Marion County appreciates the commitment of organizations such as Family Building Blocks, CASA of Marion County, Liberty House, and many more who work year round to support children and families in our communities.
“There may be people in the county who suffered some abuse as a child, and it may have never been reported or told to anybody,” said Commissioner Colm Willis. “If you’re one of those individuals, I just want you to know how much we care about you and how important you are to us and to the community.”
We all have a role to play in preventing child abuse and neglect. For information about how you can help, please visit: parentforthefuture.org.