In April of 2008, Cass County, Missouri residents and those that work within the county completed a Community Health Assessment Resource Team (CHART) sponsored survey regarding the issue of child abuse and neglect prevention in Cass County.  The following information is a tabulated summary of the results.

Report of Child Abuse and Neglect Survey Results

A. A total of 436 surveys were completed, 12.6% or 55 of those surveys were accomplished online

B. Survey respondents included:

• Staff/patrons of the following school districts: Belton, Ray-Pec, Cass-Midway, Archie, Pleasant Hill and Sherwood

• Staff/Patrons of the Cass County Health Department and its immunization clinics, the library system, the WCMCAA Women’s Clinic, Cass County Pediatrics and Adolescents and the Belton Assembly of God Food Pantry

• Employees of the Cass County Government offices

• CHART Coalition members

• Attendees at the Public Administrators Networking Luncheon

• Rotary Club members and assorted citizens

C. A demographic summary follows:

• 61.8% of respondents were ages 30-49

• 80.9% were female; 19.1% were male

• 81.9% were parents; 18.1% were not

• 79.1% of respondents either live or both live and work in Cass County

• Respondents represented a wide range of occupations including students, homemakers, medical/education/legal/social work professionals, government employees, labor, sales, business professionals, self-employed and retired

• Educators comprised the largest number of respondents at 32.3%, followed by administrative/office workers at 9.6%, followed by homemakers at 7.3%

D. A summary of questions 1 through 11 follows:

1. How would you classify the prevalence of the following situations in Cass County:

a. child abuse and neglect:

• Very serious/serious – 66.3%

• Minor issue/not an issue – 13.4%

• Don’t know – 20.4%

b. children being raised in dangerous or unhealthy situations

• Very serious/serious – 68%

• Minor issue/not an issue – 15.2%

• Don’t know – 16.7%

c. out-of-wedlock-births

• Very serious/serious – 56.9%

• Minor issue/not an issue – 32%

• Don’t know – 11.1%

d. children being raised in a home with either father or mother being absent

• Very serious/serious – 64.6%

• Minor issue/not an issue – 26.4%

• Don’t know – 9%

e. children being raised by grandparents or other relatives in the absence of

biological parents

• Very serious/serious – 48.7%

• Minor issue/not an issue – 38.7%

• Don’t know – 12.6%

2. The more effectively a society values its children, the less it will tolerate their victimization and the more effectively it will seek to protect them.

• Strongly agree/agree – 94.1%

• No opinion – 4.7%

• Disagree/strongly disagree – 1.17%

3. On average, children raised in households headed by 2 parents in a healthy marriage fare better than children who grow up in other family structures.

• Strongly agree/agree – 79.9%

• No opinion – 8%

• Disagree/strongly disagree – 12.2%

4. Helping fathers connect with their children at the age of infancy increases the chances that the father will stay connected to that child when they are older.

• Strongly agree/agree – 85.3%

• No opinion – 7.3%

• Disagree/strongly disagree – 7.4%

5. Fathers play a critical role in the successful rearing of children.

• Strongly agree/agree – 90.3%

• No opinion – 6.3%

• Disagree/strongly disagree – 3.3%

6. Are you personally aware of instances of neglect/abuse in the county?

• Yes – 45.2%

• No – 54.8%

7. Have you personally been impacted by child abuse or neglect?

• Yes – 34.4%

• No – 65.6%

8. Would you feel comfortable supporting efforts in Cass County to address the issue of child neglect and abuse?

• Yes – 90.1%

• No – 9.9%

9. If yes, how would you be willing to support such efforts?

• In principle – 63.6%

• As a program volunteer – 29.3% **

• Financially – 6.8%

**Note: a number of respondents indicated that they would like to participate as a program volunteer but failed to provide any contact information. In reality, 17.4% or 76 respondents actually provided contact information.

10. How would you rate the availability of local services in Cass County designed to prevent the victimization of children?

a. parenting skills programs:

• Unavailable/inadequate – 26.5%

• Adequate/well developed – 19.9%

• Don’t know - 53.6%

b. home visiting programs for expectant and new parents:

• Unavailable/inadequate – 17.5%

• Adequate/well developed – 29%

• Don’t know - 53.5%

c. fatherhood support programs:

• Unavailable/inadequate – 30.2%

• Adequate/well developed – 4.6%

• Don’t know – 65.3%

d. counseling, shelter or employment training for women in crisis pregnancies, i.e., where the potential for domestic violence exists, pregnancy as a result of rape, homelessness of pregnant female:

• Unavailable/inadequate – 21.4%

• Adequate/well developed – 22.8%

• Don’t know – 55.8%

e. substance abuse programs for pregnant females and partners:

• Unavailable/inadequate – 19.7%

• Adequate/well developed – 11.1%

• Don’t know – 69.1%

f. respite care services for families in crisis:

• Unavailable/inadequate – 21.8%

• Adequate/well developed – 12.2%

• Don’t know – 65.9%

g. support programs for grandparents or other relatives raising children:

• Unavailable/inadequate – 26.5%

• Adequate/well developed – 7.2%

• Don’t know – 66.3%

h. mentoring services for families in crisis, e.g., Big Brothers/Big Sisters:

• Unavailable/inadequate – 28.2%

• Adequate/well developed – 12.2%

• Don’t know – 59.7%

i. accessible list of resources of social services for Cass County residents:

• Unavailable/inadequate – 21%

• Adequate/well developed – 22.7%

• Don’t know – 56.3%

11. List the 3 services from question 10 above that you think would be most effective in protecting children in Cass County (listed from most to least):

a. 20.2% d. 18.3% h. 11.9%

e. 11.4% f. 8.8% b. 8.7%

c. 8.7% i. 7% g. 4.9%

Results tabulated by Mary Gutierrez, RN and Michele Lukenbill, RN, Cass County Health Department, May 2008.