Kroger visits Oregon City, discusses victims’ services

The Oregon City News, Jul 8, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

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Oregon Attorney General nominee John Kroger recently visited Oregon City to discuss the Department of Justice’s funding for child abuse victim services, the implications of Karly’s Law and to tour the Children’s Center of Clackamas County.

“John Kroger is taking steps toward fully understanding the extent [to which] abuse affects children’s lives here and across the state,” said Tonia Hunt, executive director of the Children’s Center of Clackamas County. “This is the first of many conversations and the start of a partnership that will help us better serve children.”

Kroger met with Clackamas County officials including Sheriff Craig Roberts, District Attorney John Foote, Oregon City Police Sergeant Jim Band, Hunt, and Medical Director Dr. Michael Chen for a better understanding of their services as they relate to the partnerships created with Clackamas County’s Multi-disciplinary Team (MDT) and Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Intervention (CAMI) funding.

“We have a very strong, very healthy MDT in this county,” said Foote. “We’re very big advocates for (CAMI) funding because we know what it does here.”

With the implementation of Karly’s Law, the center has seen a nearly three times the number of physical abuse assessments in the last three months, said Hunt. Karly’s Law requires medical evaluation be performed and documented within 48 hours of the report of abuse, further stressing limited resources and shifting the historical ratio of sexual abuse to physical abuse victims they serve, she added.

“The Clackamas Children’s Center does amazing work and I am a very strong supporter of their efforts,” Kroger said.

“Protecting children and fighting sexual predators is one of my highest priorities and the Center is and will be a major partner in that endeavor.”

The Children’s Center of Clackamas County is a medical evaluation center for children suspected to be victims of abuse or neglect. Specialized medical staff document signs of abuse, while trained forensic interviewers provide children the opportunity to disclose their history of abuse without having to be interviewed multiple times by investigative agencies. In addition, the Children’s Center provides parents and caregivers resources and support.