April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

From Buncombe County Health & Human Services:

Growing Together- We Can Prevent Child Abuse and Help Children in Buncombe County

In 2021, Buncombe County Health and Human Services screened in nearly 3,000 reports of alleged abuse, neglect, or dependency, averaging about 250 new reports each month. Of the 3,000 reports assessed, 468 instances of child maltreatment in families had occurred, putting those children at imminent risk of entering the foster care system. Each month, Family In Home Services- a program designed to ensure child safety and prevent family separation, supports 300 children in over 140 families.

“As a social worker in Family In Home Services, I get the privilege of supporting families in their journey to strengthen their lives together,” says Family In Home social worker, Daniel Snook. Daniel continues, “Each family comes with their own unique strengths and struggles, and it’s amazing to see what can happen when parents set goals with us and get help with removing barriers to reaching those goals. By successfully connecting families with service providers, such as for parenting support, substance abuse or mental health treatment, and other community supports, we help build upon the families’ strengths. We see homes become safer for children and parents learn new ways to guide and protect their children.”

Sometimes, the best and safest option for the child[ren] is being rehomed through our Foster Care program. “Foster care allows a child a temporary, safe place to live and grow while biological families are working through services to heal and improve the parent’s support and safety structures,” says Amy Huntsman, Foster Care Supervisor for Buncombe County Health and Human Services. Currently, over 300 Buncombe children and young adults are in Foster Care.

Of the 344 Buncombe children in Foster Care, 85 children are currently placed outside of Buncombe County due to a lack of Buncombe County foster parents. Sometimes children placed outside of their home communities can experience more challenges in the Foster Care system and are less likely to reunify with their home communities. Buncombe County needs more foster parents so we can bring our kids back home!

Buncombe County Health and Human Services offers foster parent training classes, also known as MAPP Classes. This six-week course is offered once a week and we encourage anyone who is interested in fostering to contact us to learn more. Potential foster parents who complete the course are then eligible to advance to the licensing phase, a process with which Buncombe County staff are happy to support. Information about MAPP classes and registration can be found on our website at buncombecounty.org/foster.

Buncombe County Health and Human Services is participating in the following events alongside Mountain Child Advocacy Center in April:

• On Tuesday, April 5th, join us from 2:15-2:45 pm at the Energy Loop sculpture (located between 200 College Street and the College Street parking garage in downtown Asheville) to proclaim that every child deserves a happy and safe childhood. The event will feature speakers and a pinwheel planting by students to represent the bright future that every child deserves.

• On April 7th, from 6:00 – 9:00 pm, HCA-Mission is sponsoring Painting for Prevention, an education and fundraising event at the Russell and Armstrong Gallery, 24 N. Lexington Avenue, Downtown Asheville. The event will include representatives from prevention partners, Mountain Child Advocacy Center and Buncombe County Foster Care staff, refreshments, music, and an auction. Proceeds from the auction will benefit Mountain Child Advocacy Center’s prevention program.