Kansas Law Enforcement Leaders Head to Capitol Hill to Target Child Abuse

Jul 25th 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Kansas law enforcement leaders Pawnee County Attorney John Settle, Coffey County Attorney Douglas Witteman and Overland Park Chief John Douglass, met with U.S. Senator Pat Roberts in his Capitol Hill office this week to enlist his help in moving forward the Education Begins at Home Act.

Voluntary, quality home visiting programs , such as those supported through his legislation, send trained professionals to help at-risk parents learn about the health and nutritional needs of young children and advise them on how to raise safe and healthy families.

"We know quality home visiting can cut child abuse and neglect, as well as later crime, in half," said Chief Douglass. "Unfortunately, not enough families have been able to take advantage of these programs due to lack of funding. The Education Begins at Home Act would make a difference."

Kansas currently has four of the six main models of home visiting: Healthy Families America, Parents as Teachers, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters and Early Head Start.

"As a co-sponsor and important member of the Senate committee handling the bill, Sen. Roberts can be a leader in helping to advance this legislation," Settle said. "Investing a single dollar in high-quality home visiting programs can return five dollars in savings to taxpayers and crime victims. We can't afford to not have voluntary home visiting."

Children who are abused or neglected are nearly 30 percent more likely to be arrested for violent crimes as adults. They are also one-third less likely to find employment or maintain stable marriages later in life, compared to those free of abuse. Witteman noted a 60% reduction in at-risk families later arrests in families that have participated in voluntary home visiting.

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