April 2024

 April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Child Abuse Prevention Month is an annual observance in the
United States dedicated to raising awareness and preventing 
child abuse. April has been designated Child Abuse 
Prevention Month in the United States since 1983.

"During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we recommit to giving 
every child a chance to succeed and to ensuring that every child 
grows up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment that 
is free from abuse and neglect."

 Prevent Child Abuse America declared the pinwheel as the 
national symbol for child abuse prevention through the campaign, 
Pinwheels for Prevention.

Pinwheels symbolize the notions of playfulness, joy, and 
 childhood. It serves as a reminder of the great childhoods we want 
for all children. The cyclical nature of the pinwheel depicts positive 
cycles of love and support we want to help families create.

CASA Jefferson encourages all advocates to display 
pinwheels at their homes and/or workplaces to raise awareness of 
Child Abuse Prevention. Advocates, please contact your supervisor
to pick up pinwheels from our office.

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           How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect? Call 1-855-4LA-KIDS                       
(1-855-452-5437) Toll Free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.             
All calls are confidential. 

    What is abuse/neglect?                                                                                              
    The Louisiana Children’s Code provides the following definitions of abuse
​    and neglect by a parent or caretaker:                                                                                                              
   "Caretaker" means any person legally obligated to provide or secure adequate care for a child,             including a parent, tutor, guardian, legal custodian, foster home parent, an employee of a public or private day care center, an operator or employee of a registered family child day care home, or          other person providing a residence for the child.   

    “Abuse” means any one of the following acts which seriously endanger the physical, mental, or           emotional health and safety of the child:
•   The infliction, attempted infliction, or, as a result of inadequate supervision, the allowance of the       infliction or attempted infliction of physical or mental injury upon the child by a parent or any             other person.

•   The exploitation or overwork of a child by a parent or any other person, including but not limited to  commercial sexual exploitation of the child.
•   The involvement of the child in any sexual act with a parent or any other person, or the aiding or       toleration by the parent, caretaker, or any other person of the child's involvement in any of the           following:
    • Any sexual act with any other person.
    • Pornographic displays.
    • Any sexual activity constituting a crime under the laws of this state.
    • A coerced abortion conducted upon a child.
    • Female genital mutilation as defined by R.S. 14:43.4.       

    “Neglect” means the refusal or unreasonable failure of a parent or caretaker to supply the child          with necessary food, clothing, shelter, care, treatment, or counseling for any injury, illness, or            condition of the child, as a result of which the child's physical, mental, or emotional health and          safety is substantially threatened or impaired. Neglect includes prenatal neglect. Consistent with        Article 606(B), the inability of a parent or caretaker to provide for a child due to inadequate                financial resources shall not, for that reason alone, be considered neglect. 

    "Prenatal neglect" means exposure to chronic or severe use of alcohol or the unlawful use of any        controlled dangerous substance, or in a manner not lawfully prescribed, which results in symptoms of withdrawal in the newborn or the presence of a controlled substance or a metabolic          thereof in his body, blood, urine that is not the result of medical treatment, or observable and            harmful effects in his physical appearance or functioning.  

    What are the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect?
    The first step in helping abused or neglected children is learning to recognize the signs of child          abuse and neglect. The presence of a single sign does not prove child abuse is occurring in a              family; however, when these signs appear repeatedly or in combination you should take a closer look at the situation and consider the possibility of child abuse.

   Substance Exposed Newborns Reporting and Notifications
   The impact of in-utero exposure to substances on a newborn and their family can be detrimental.       With the increasing opioid epidemic, a new emphasis has been placed on the impact of these               substances on newborns and their families.
   Federal legislation requires that states address the needs of newborns affected by both legal and        illegal substances. Prior to 2017, legislation required states to address only infants affected by          the use of illegal substances and alcohol. The changes in requirements were made specifically            to address the opioid epidemic that the nation is facing.

    Definitions Related to Substance Exposed Newborns
    “Newborn” means a child who is not more than 30 days old, as determined within a reasonable          degree of medical certainty by an examining physician.

    "Prenatal Neglect" means exposure to chronic or severe use of alcohol or the unlawful use of any       controlled dangerous substance, as defined by R.S. 40:961 et seq., or in a manner not lawfully          prescribed, which results in symptoms of withdrawal in the newborn or the presence of a                    controlled substance or a metabolic thereof in his body, blood, urine or meconium that is not              the result of medical treatment, or observable and harmful effects in his physical appearance              or functioning. 
 
A "Mandatory Reporter" is any of the following individuals: a health practitioner; mental                          health/social service practitioner; member of the clergy; teacher or child care provider; police            or law enforcement officer; commercial film or photographic print processor; mediator; parenting      coordinator; court-appointed special advocate volunteer; organizational or youth activity                    provider, school coach and/or a CASA.

   Required Elements of a Prenatal Neglect Report
• Alcohol Affected Newborns
•   • Newborn must be 30 days old or less; and
     • Newborn must have either withdrawal symptoms or positive alcohol screen through blood,                  urine or meconium test or have observable and harmful effects in his physical appearance                  or functioning.

• Drug Affected Newborns
    • Newborn must be 30 days old or less; and
    • Newborn must have either withdrawal symptoms or positive toxicology screen through blood,             urine or meconium test or have observable and harmful effects in his physical appearance                   or functioning; and
    • Mother must have unlawfully used a controlled dangerous substance, or in a manner not                      lawfully prescribed, during pregnancy.   
                                                      
   Tools to Assist in Decision Making
•  If a physician has cause to believe that the newborn was exposed in-utero to an unlawfully                used controlled dangerous substance, then the physician must order a toxicology test on                    the newborn without the parent's consent to determine if prenatal neglect is suspected. If the test results are positive, the physician must make a report of suspected prenatal neglect.

• If the newborn exhibits symptoms of withdrawal or other observable and harmful effects that are due to chronic or severe use of alcohol by the mother, or due to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, the physician must make a report of suspected prenatal neglect.

• If prenatal neglect is suspected, but test results cannot confirm exposure to an unlawfully or lawfully used substance prior to the newborn's discharge from the hospital, the physician must make a report of suspected prenatal neglect.

• If the newborn exhibits withdrawal symptoms that are believed to be due to the mother’s use of a controlled dangerous substance in a lawfully prescribed manner, without suspicion of prenatal               neglect, the physician must submit a Physician Notification Form.

   Reporting/Notification Requirements                                                                                                         Physicians are mandated to make a report of suspected prenatal neglect to the Child Protection         Hotline by calling 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437). Physicians are required to notify the                 Department of a newborn exhibiting withdrawal symptoms or other observable and harmful               effects in his physical appearance of a controlled dangerous substance used in a lawfully                     prescribed manner by the mother during pregnancy.
      

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Let’s welcome our newest advocate,
Aaron Genereaux.
Thank you, Judge Burmaster, for swearing in Aaron on Tuesday,
March 19, 2024, and always supporting CASA Jefferson.

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​         Childhood Trauma’s Lasting Effects on Mental and Physical Health

    Traumatic events don’t always leave physical scars, but they often leave emotional and                        psychological ones. Those imprints can affect a child’s mental and physical health for years to            come — and even into adulthood.
  
    Psychologist Kate Eshleman, PsyD, says that often, children can move on from traumatic events          and thrive. But they may need a helping hand. “There are things parents and caregivers can do          to support a child after trauma.”

   Understanding adverse childhood experiences         
    Child health experts often talk about adverse childhood experiences (sometimes called ACEs) —          traumatic events in a child’s life.

    Some ACEs are clearly terrifying — such as abuse, witnessing extreme violence or surviving a              natural disaster.

    But kids see the world differently than adults do and can experience distress from things that            might not seem so scary to grown-ups, says Dr. Eshleman. Events like chronic bullying at school,        the death of a family member or divorce can also traumatize a child.

    “Parents should be mindful that even though an event might not seem traumatic to them, it may have been traumatic for their child,” she says.

   Lingering effects of stress: risk factors
    Many children who experience an adverse event don’t have long-lasting effects. Still, some                  factors increase the chance of later problems, Dr. Eshleman says: Trauma can leave a stamp at          any age. But children who experience an adverse event before the age of 8 may be particularly          vulnerable.

   Level of trauma  
    Not everyone experiences trauma the same way. Some kids can bounce back from major                    stressors while others are more affected by things that, on the surface, seem less severe.                    Overall, the more extreme the trauma, the higher the risk for lasting difficulty.

   Duration of trauma
   Chronic or repeated exposure to adverse events increases the risk of lasting health problems.             Children who witness repeated violence in an unsafe neighborhood, or those who are abused, are       more likely to have long-term problems than a child who experiences a one-time event, such as          a car crash.    

   Effects of childhood trauma     
    Past traumas can stay with a child — and even affect their physical health. Children who                      experience traumatic events have a greater chance of developing health conditions, including:

• Anxiety.
• Cancer.
• Depression.
• Diabetes.
• Heart problems.
• Obesity.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Stroke.
• Substance use disorders.

    There are two main ways that trauma can cause those lingering effects,                                                 Dr. Eshleman explains:

    Physical responses    
    The body responds to emotional stress in much the same way it responds to physical stress,                Dr. Eshleman says.
    Elevated proteins: After physical head injuries such as concussions, levels of a protein called              S100B can spike in the brain. Researchers found similarly high levels of this protein in children          who had experienced emotional trauma. S100B is associated with potentially damaging                      inflammation in the brain.

    High levels of stress hormones: Stress affects the body from head to toe. When something scary        happens, stress hormones set your heart racing and make you break into a cold sweat. But if              those hormones stay elevated for a long time, they can cause inflammation in the body and                lead to lasting health problems. “The stress response can wear on our bodies,” Dr. Eshleman says.

    Emotional responses
    “Sometimes, significant stress or trauma can lead to mental health disorders, such as anxiety             and depression,” says Dr. Eshleman. And people with untreated mental health problems are:       

• At increased risk for disease.
• Less likely to make healthy choices, like seeing the doctor regularly or eating well.
• More likely to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as drinking and smoking.   
  
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    If you’re caring for a child who has survived trauma, you might be feeling overwhelmed by all            the possible outcomes. It’s worth repeating: Those outcomes aren’t inevitable.  As a caregiver,          you can take steps to reduce the risks for your child: Hear what your child is saying.                            "Sometimes, adults minimize the significance of a traumatic event such as bullying,” Dr.                      Eshleman says. You may be trying to help your child by taking the “it’s not so bad” approach.              But trauma might make your child shut down — when you want them to le t you in. Validate                your child’s experience. Let them know that you understand how hard the experience was and            that you’re there to help.

    Watch for clues                                         
I   It’s not always easy for children to explain what they’re thinking. After a distressing event, look         for changes in behavior. These can be clues that your child is having a difficult time.                             Some common changes to watch for include:

•     Eating more or less than usual.
•     Sleep changes, including having trouble sleeping or needing more sleep than usual.   
•     Regression (such as a potty-trained preschooler having accidents again, or a toddler who            slept through the night now waking frequently).
•     Irritability and grumpiness.
•     Clinginess and separation anxiety — especially in younger kids.

     
    Adults: It’s not too late to deal with childhood trauma   
    Does this all sound a little too familiar? Not everyone gets the support they need in childhood.            You may recognize that your own ACEs dealt you a bad hand. And you might still be dealing                with the emotional and physical consequences. Help is available at any age. “There are a variety of therapies that are very effective at treating anxiety, depression and PTSD,” Dr. Eshleman says.              “It’s never too late to work with a mental health professional.”

    Effects of Childhood Trauma on Your Health (clevelandclinic.org)

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​Volunteer Advocate 
April Birthdays 

Cameron Ponder
​Janel Edwards
Kayne Stewart
Michele Paradise
Miriam Breaux-Baham
Stacey Williams
William Broderick

Volunteer Advocate
April Service Anniversaries

Tonia Lee – 7yrs
Michele Paradise - 7yrs
Stacey Thompson - 3yrs
Kayne Stewart - 1yr
Mary Langan - 1yr
Michelle Paradise - 1yr
William Broderick - 1yr

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CASA Jefferson has an opening for a Part-time
Training Coordinator position. If you are interested or know someone who may
be interested, please send cover letters, resumes & 3 professional
​references to [email protected].

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​CASA JEFFERSON's Mission is to break the cycle of child
abuse and neglect through volunteers advocating for
safe, nurturing, and permanent homes
for foster children in our community.

CASA JEFFERSON's Vision is to have volunteers
recruited, trained and assigned to every child in the
foster care system in Jefferson Parish.  

      As of April 1, 2024, we have 54 children waiting for a
volunteer to advocate for them.

If you know anyone who would be interested in becoming a volunteer,
have them call our office (504 533-8757) or visit our website www.casajefferson.org.