April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect. Prevention services and supports developed by this collaboration can help to protect children
SEE PROTECTING THE INNOCENT, PAGE A4 and strengthen families.
The Okmulgee County Family Resource Center (OCFRC) is a community- based, nonprofit, social service agency formed to develop, organize and administer programs that aid families in Okmulgee, Creek and Okfuskee Counties and Creek Nation tribal members throughout the Tribal Service Area. They are dedicated to providing services for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault and to abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system.
There are numerous activities being planned during the month.
On April 13, at 12 noon, the community is invited to join them on the lawn of the Okmulgee County Courthouse and wear Blue for Child Abuse Awareness.
“Join us in planting 130 pinwheels representing the children in foster care right now,” an agency representative stated. “Hear Judge Pandee Ramirez talk about the status of our county’s foster care system.”
Attendees can also receive information on how to help a child who has been abused by becoming a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer or a foster parent.
According to the OCFRC, nearly 3000 children are in foster care on any given day in Oklahoma, according to the agency. These children are victims of the most severe forms of abuse or neglect.
— About the Okmulgee County Family Resource Center In June of 1987, concerned parents and civic-minded citizens joined with the Juvenile Justice System to form the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Project in Okmulgee County. While providing protective services for children, advocates began to help in cases where parents were subjected to domestic abuse. In many reports of child abuse, spousal abuse is also present.
The CASA advocates began providing domestic violence intervention services in 1988. In April 1989, the Muscogee (Creek) Indian Nation donated a 16-room Victorian house in downtown Okmulgee which was renovated and served as the agency headquarters for many years. In February 1990, the OCFRC was created as an umbrella structure to operate both the Okmulgee County/Creek Nation CASA Program and the rapidly developing Safehouse Program.
During January of 1994, the OCFRC was admitted as a Tulsa Area United Way member agency and in February the Safehouse Program was certified as a Crisis Intervention Service Center by the State of Oklahoma.
In 2000, the OCFRC began providing treatment services for batterers in domestic violence cases; and in 2001, it partnered with Deep Fork Community Action to add a two-unit, transitional housing component to its continuum of victim services.
In September 2002, the OCFRC consolidated all of its activities in a new facility at its current location.
In 2003, the OCFRC began offering group treatment for sexual assault victims. Several significant events occurred during 2005.
The state legislature placed all domestic violence services within the Office of Attorney General engendering a major shift in program philosophy and significant changes in the funding and administration of the Safehouse Program. Additionally, at the request of the state legislature, the Oklahoma CASA Association, and with a TAUW Venture Grant commitment, the OCFRC expanded its CASA program into Creek County.
Together, these changes established the currently evolving face of the OCFRC.
Visit www.casasafehouse.org/aboutus/ for more information.
