2010 Annual Report

a child abuse intervention center

Kids Intervention and Diagnostic Service Center

ANNUAL REPORT 2010

2,432 reports were made of child abuse and neglect in the tri-county region 1,091 adults trained in Darkness to Light 601 referrals were made to KIDS Center for children in need of evaluation services 456 child evaluations and consults took place at KIDS Center 396 families received critical support and referrals during and after their evaluation 201 children received therapeutic services Highlights from the year

Statistics

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ealing Hearts Luncheon

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lue Ribbon - Child Abuse Prevention Month

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F

We continue to be in awe and humbled by the amazing support we receive from our community. With over 700 guests in attendance at our 2010 luncheon, we raised nearly $135,000.

During the April campaign, volunteers and partners blanketed Central Oregon with almost 50,000 blue ribbons and 32,000 newsletters raising awareness. We had multiple TV appearances and radio interviews and tied over 2000 ribbons to the trees outside KIDS Center.

he whole family is affected when a child has been abused; we were able to respond by providing an increase in our family support services. We provided 396 families with resources and help compared to 123 in ‘09. amily members and those entrusted to care for children represented 75% of the alleged perpetrators. Only 1% of all children evaluated at KIDS Center were harmed by a stranger.

S

exual abuse was the primary cause in 67% of all children referred to KIDS Center while physical abuse accounted for 28%.

From KIDS Center’s Executive Director

I

am perpetually moved by the strength it takes to endure severe hardship, address it with courage, and move beyond the trauma. It isn’t easy and yet I see girls and boys walking through our doors every day ready to face the realities of their abuse. They are tall and short, blond and brown-haired, some come in with smiles, others with worried eyes, but the one common factor is their courage.

In 2010, KIDS Center received 601 calls for help from community members and partners which surpasses all previous years. We were able to assist the majority through our newest program, Family Support and Advocacy, which helps parents and guardians by providing vital referrals to community resources as well as emotional support. We know that as parents’ stress is reduced, they can better care for and attend to their child’s emotional needs.

Our therapy services improve year after year, through the use of cutting edge methods as we provide long-term healing from the trauma of abuse.

Children regularly share with us that they are so relieved to talk to someone who isn’t afraid of hearing all the “bad stuff.”

We celebrated our 5,000th adult trained in Darkness to Light, a vital training enabling adults to better protect children by building awareness about sexual abuse. I can’t help but assume that our increase in calls for assistance is closely tied to the increasing number of adults in our community who are aware and referring those in need to us.

I am thankful to our community for the support and resources we receive to care for the most vulnerable members in our midst. I hold hope for the day we are no longer needed but for now, we will continue to embrace those who have been abused and support their healing and long-term health. We do this without adding the burden of cost to families as all our services are free.

Today, as I write this article, we received a staggering 13 calls from our community partners referring children with suspected abuse. So, for now we will continue to do our important work and watch in awe as young warriors come through our doors.

Shelly Smith

♥♥ The vast majority of our funding comes from local individuals and private foundations

Did you know....

87% of all our expenditures are directed to our core programs We received 34% less insurance reimbursements compared to 2009 as more children moved

♥♥ Almost ♥♥

to the Oregon Health Plan from our region

2010 Expenditures

2010 Operating Revenue Program Revenue 11%

Management 5.6% Fundraising 7.9%

2010 Operating Revenues

Donations & Events 40%

Programs 86.5%

Government & Public Funds 35%

From the William L. Price Charitable Foundation

Private Foundations 14%

“As Trustees of a private foundation, we have had the opportunity to observe the management of numerous non-profits across the U.S. The economic hardships, both decreased contributions and higher operations costs, have challenged most organizations and have forced us to focus even more on management depth, financial controls, board oversight, and community support. For years, we have been impressed with KIDS Center’s performance in each of these areas and have frequently used the organization as a model in discussions with other foundations and grantees. Each year KIDS Center grows stronger and ever more able to address the growing challenges of child abuse in Central Oregon. We are proud to be a long-term supporter.”

- Bill Price and Joan Frost

Therapy

KIDS Center works in collaboration with Deschutes County Behavioral Health to provide therapy for children who are enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan. In 2010, 201 children and adolescents received specialized therapeutic services by their dedicated and caring providers.

To assist children and families in processing their abuse and/or neglect, these innovated services included Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and play therapy (incorporating sand tray, art and imaginative play).

Sarah’s Story

While we do not often get the opportunity to witness the longterm outcomes of our work, on occasion we are given such a gift.

One of our clients spoke about her experiences and how therapy is helping her heal. She is an outstanding individual who has amazing strength and has grown from victim to survivor to advocate speaking out against abuse at her school and in the community.

Sarah told us, “Therapy with KIDS Center has been so rewarding to me.. it has really done a lot to help me and my family through this situation that we shouldn’t have ever had to go through.

With therapy, I have been able to build hope for the future. It gives me the feeling that people care about me and are here to help me get through this... and that is really important to me.”

Her mother shared, “I know that she now has the ability to talk about it (the abuse) and progress emotionally. She actively understands that what happened to her is something that happened to her; and not who she is as a person. In doing that she is now able to achieve goals, speak about it and talk to other kids as opposed to it being a detriment.”