For over 25 years, Oregon Child Abuse Solutions has partnered with local communities and their experts to strengthen solutions for child abuse. We are Oregon’s only statewide 501(c)(3) non-profit agency that fights to end to all forms of child abuse by ensuring high-quality prevention, intervention, and therapeutic services for children.
We honor local expertise and create equity in care across urban, rural and frontier communities. With a keen ear to the ground, we are uniquely positioned to make a statewide impact in service provision, policy, and public education.
We transform Oregon’s child abuse response and prevention by strengthening children’s advocacy centers, training first responders, supporting multidisciplinary teams, and leading statewide initiatives to ensure all children receive quality, healing-centered care.
In 1995, the Executive Directors of Oregon’s children’s advocacy centers established the Oregon Network of Child Abuse Intervention Centers, a nonprofit grounded in collaborative partnership and with the goal of ensuring children have access to quality, comprehensive services. Since 2009, the Network has had dedicated staff to further this mission. In 2010, the Network became an Accredited State Chapter of the National Children’s Alliance, a distinction held today.
Notable accomplishments include developing Oregon Interviewing Guidelines, Karly’s Law training video, Oregon Child Forensic Interview Training, advanced trainings, nation-leading Project Ability Training, peer-peer trainings and conferences, CAC Legal Toolkit, and others. Notable expansions include an increase in staff to three, an increase in CACs and children served, and, with the addition of Wasco County in 2017, every county in Oregon has a designated CAC. Most recent accomplishment is the inclusion of a $3 million increase in investment for CACs in the 2020 short session budget bill, setting a minimum of $120,000 allocated to every CAC to perform their work, including statutorily required duties, Karly’s Law medical exams. We’re hopeful this needed funding will be realized as soon as possible.
Child welfare, the department, cannot solve child abuse, the problem. We are a critical partner to children, protective parents, child welfare workers, police officers, district attorneys, schools, medical providers, and all Oregonians. We employ a three-pronged approach of intervention, therapeutic treatment, and prevention to eliminate child abuse, one child at a time. All three strategies must act in harmony to provide the best chance for children and families to be safe and have an opportunity to thrive.
Our opportunity to give kids a voice and initiate healing is unmatched. Children may remember every detail about the day we intervened, and for this reason, we work hard to strengthen the services kids need. Our training programs target first responders – child welfare and law enforcement – so children are helped, not harmed, from the very first interaction.
Unhealed trauma in childhood can manifest in adult challenges like addiction, physical and mental health symptoms, and crime. We can prevent these devastating outcomes through early access to evidence-based therapy like trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. We are helping expand access to this therapy modality in Oregon.
Child abuse is preventable and it thrives in communities that don’t know what to look for. Everyone wants to help protect kids, but many don’t know how they fit into the solutions. We’re working hard to provide prevention education and advocate for investments. Abuse is bigger than bad actors, it’s about damaging cultures. We know we can solve this.
OCAS partners with small and large businesses intent on making a difference in the lives of Oregon’s children impacted by abuse. These partnerships enable us to serve 7,895 children each year and provide prevention trainings for children and adults in communities across Oregon. Each time abuse is prevented, we spare a child unnecessary pain and save $830,000 dollars on average by avoiding lifespan costs associated with abuse.
We’re building a coalition of private partners energized by the vision of “making Oregon the safest state for children by 2030.” We believe in fighting for every child in our state. Driven by this belief, we work hard for the 120,000 children estimated to have experienced abuse in Oregon in the last year. Connect with us to see how you can join in.
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| Russell Mark, Chair Executive Director Juliette’s House |
Paul Schrader, Vice Chair Executive Director CAC of Lincoln County |
| Bill Shaw, Treasurer Principal Macadam Capital Partners |
Jackie Antunes Executive Director Children’s Advocacy Center |
| David Audley Director of Business Development The CHP Group |
Alison Kelley Chief Executive Officer Liberty House |
| Liz Lorenzo Senior Manager of Corporate Partnerships United Way of Columbia-Willamette |
Lindsay Mannell Retail Manager First Interstate Bank |
| Greg Valentin COO Flex Force Enterprises Inc. |
The resources and advisory committee will help OCAS meet its strategic plan goals through helping our staff and Board develop resources and enhance partnerships. Additionally, this committee will advise OCAS on strategies to further its reach through media, social media, networking, and small events, like house parties or community presentations. We’re currently recruiting for this Committee, contact Becky if interested.
Executive Director
becky@oregoncas.org
(503) 455-8624
Statewide Partnerships Manager
kat@oregoncas.org
(503) 455-8623
Program Manager
sydney@oregoncas.org
(503) 455-8622
Oregon Child Abuse Solutions is well represented at our State Capitol by Dalton Advocacy. Dalton Advocacy is a female led and managed advocacy and association management firm that has built a reputation for delivering successful legislative and regulatory strategies, with a focus on personal client service and strong, open communication. During recent Legislative Sessions, OCAS has been working to increase awareness about the need for Children’s Advocacy Centers, best practices for serving children who have been victimized, and increasing state investment for these services. If you have questions about Oregon Child Abuse Solutions’ legislative efforts, please do not hesitate to contact our lobbyists:
Amanda Dalton
amanda@daltonadvocacy.com
(503) 884-0415
Sabrina Riggs
sabrina@daltonadvocacy.com
(503) 990-2484