Abuse And Neglect

Applications for medical assistance, food stamps and aid to families with dependent children in Carroll have increased from a year ago.The Carroll County Department of Social Services has also seen an increase in reports of child neglect and abuse, both sexual and physical, Executive Director M. Alexander Jones told his board of directors at its monthly meeting yesterday.Mr. Jones also said the number of applicants who have moved to Carroll recently from other counties and states has gone from an average of 11.5 a month by the end of 1991 to an average of a month by the end of 1992.

LOS ANGELES-- A five-year study on sexual abuse in preschools, released today by the University of California, Los Angeles, has concluded that, with the right kind of help, most children who say they have been molested eventually recover from the resulting fear, anxiety and behavior problems experience, even though recovery may take months or years.Funded by the federal government's National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, the UCLA study gives researchers the most detailed look yet at the extended effects of child abuse.

Gourmands gathered at Linwoods/Due restaurants in Owings Mills as the Family Tree held its eighth annual Great Chefs' Dinner. This year, the $200-a-plate meal was masterminded by renowned chef Alessandro Stratta, former executive chef of the four-star Mary Elaine's restaurant at the Phoenician hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz.During the cocktail hour, dinner co-chairs Georgia Stamas and Ziba Franks welcomed eager epicures, including the Family Tree's deputy executive director, Stephanie Davis, and director of development, Judy Hyman; Joanne and Abraham Rosenthal, CEO of Prime Retail Inc.; Dort and Richard Mollett, owners of Antrim 1844 Country Inn; Caprece Jackson Garrett, special-events coordinator for Port Discovery, and Dennis Garrett, president of Arcadia Transportation; and Joan and Tom Smyth, VP of the Albert S. Smyth Co.After cocktails came the serious supping: a five-course meal that began with sea scallops and asparagus with black truffle hollandaise, and ended with chocolate mousse.

KEONNA EMMONS was shaken so hard that the toddler wound up hospitalized, in critical condition, with severe head injuries. Bernice Gilmore, the Baltimore woman who was caring for Keonna and pleaded guilty in June to assaulting her, had previously lost custody of her son for throwing him against a wall. Keisha L. Carr, a depressed 23-year-old, broke the arms and legs of her eldest son, and within a year brutally killed the boy's infant brother. Sheila Avery lost custody of her son Travon because of neglect, and within a month of his return to her, she thrust the 5-year-old into a scalding bath, killing him. Five months after child-welfare workers took Sierra Swann's oldest child from her because of abuse and neglect, the runaway foster teen was charged with murdering her newborn twin daughters.

A new hot line has opened to take reports of suspected abuse and neglect of the elderly.The hot line is a project of Columbia resident and lawyer Charles Jerome Ware, and the Rev. John L. Wright, of the First Baptist Church of Guilford.Mr. Ware said he became interested in the issue of abuse of the elderly through his work as legal counsel for the Maryland State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which develops leadership and political programs. Through that job, he often gets phone calls and letters complaining about problems in the community.

Reform of child welfare systems in Maryland and several other states is hampered by "misguided and secretive policies" that restrict disclosure of information about deaths and serious injuries resulting from abuse or neglect, according to a report to be released today by two national child advocacy groups. Maryland was among 10 states that received an "F" grade because they "place confidentiality above the welfare" of children. The report by the University of San Diego School of Law's Children's Advocacy Institute and Washington- based First Star argues for greater transparency so child welfare systems can be held accountable and future tragedies can be averted.

PHOENIX -- A five-month Department of Economic Security investigation concluded yesterday that "abuse and neglect" led to the death of a 16-year-old California youth at the Arizona Boys Ranch and prompted officials to deny an operating license to the paramilitary-style boot camp for juvenile offenders.The state report also revealed that 17 former staff members will be placed on the Arizona Child Abuser Directory as a result of their treatment of Nicholaus Contreraz of Sacramento.The directory is a confidential computerized list meant to help the department screen people for foster care and other children's services.

Bonnie Holmes says all parents who abuse drugs or alcohol are abusing their children. So she hopes a new statewide campaign linking drug abuse to child abuse, called "Beat Your Habit -- Not Your Kid," will show people that neglect and emotional abuse of children, caused by parents' addiction, can be just as damaging."

A revised version of controversial school rules for dealing with physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect still has the potential to hamper prosecution of cases, a Columbia child advocate says.Ellen Mugmon, a member of the Governor's Council on Child Abuse and Neglect, says she does not believe a rewritten policy and accompanying "memorandum of understanding" meet suggestions contained in a state attorney general's opinion. The memorandum describes how agencies work together on abuse investigations.

Abuse of children may not be declining in MarylandKate Shatzkin's article, "Conditions for Md. children mixed, survey finds" (April 7) was a welcome introduction to the "Maryland Kids Count Fact Book." However, I would caution anyone from concluding that child abuse and neglect are declining in Maryland.The Kids Count data only indicate a drop in the number of abuse and neglect cases confirmed by Child Protective Service workers. Children's advocates are greatly concerned that Child Protective Service workers are ruling out an increasingly high percentage of these cases.