April is National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month. As we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, many traditional support systems for families are unavailable or altered. Reduced contact with educators, medical professionals, and community members can impact children and families in many ways. And high-stress home environments can increase the likelihood of domestic violence and abuse that children either experience or observe.
Everyone can play a part in keeping children healthy and safe. Please call and reach out to families you know to check-in. Report suspected abuse, share crisis hotlines, and keep your eyes open. To report suspected abuse or neglect of a child or adult, call 1-855-503-SAFE (7233). This toll-free number receives calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
For resources from Prevent Child Abuse America that you can share with families and friends visit: https://preventchildabuse.org/coronavirus-resources/.
Safely handling delivered items
A few days ago, we shared information about whether you should eat takeout. Our answer was aimed at sharing that contracting COVID-19 through food is unlikely. We want to add some additional safety information about how to handle packaging from takeout food or other items that may be delivered to you. Thanks to our readers for noting this information would be useful to share.
Oregon to receive $38.6M in federal funding to support child care for essential workers
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that Oregon will receive nearly $38.6 million in Child Care and Development Block Grant funding to help support families’ child care needs and child care providers throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding allows Oregon to increase income limits for applicants, allowing more essential workers access to child care. The Department of Human Services has also waived copayments for all families participating in the program. Funding will also support child care centers that are closed during this pandemic so they can stay afloat to serve our communities once more parents go back to work.
If you think you are eligible for child care, contact 211 info for a referral:
Call 211 and follow the prompt for Child Care
Text the keyword “children” or “niños” to 898211 (TXT211).
Email children@211info.org.
Oregon reports 6 COVID-19 deaths, 73 new COVID-19 cases
COVID-19 has claimed six more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 64, the Oregon Health Authority reported on Thursday April 16th.
Oregon Health Authority also reported 73 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state total to 1,736. The new COVID-19 cases reported April 14th are in the following counties: Benton (2), Clackamas (8), Deschutes (4), Douglas (2), Klamath (3), Lane (1), Linn (1), Malheur (1), Marion (15), Multnomah (18), Umatilla (5), Washington (12), and Yamhill (1). To see more case and county-level data, Oregon Health updates its website once a day: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus.
