By K. Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – At a conference underway this week in St. Louis, US Department of Health and Human Services announced that in 2001, 903,000 children in the US were victims of abuse or neglect.
The report indicates that in 2001 - the most recent year for which there is complete data - there was not a significant rise in the number of abused and neglected children from the previous year.
But Sid Johnson, president and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America, says there may be some cause for concern about what 2002 statistics may bring.
We came through 2002 with even a greater recession and higher unemployment, which are triggers along with other things for child abuse," he said. "So we're concerned that the problem is growing at the same time we're trying to prevent it.
The Bush administration proposes letting states use nearly
$5-billion currently earmarked for foster care for a range of preventive services and programs.