Prevention Is Key to Child Abuse

The Aug. 25 editorial, “When Orangewood Isn’t Enough,” focused on the plight of Orange County’s neglected and abused children. However, you only briefly mentioned preventive measures that help stop the cycle of abuse.

There are preventive programs in the county that do work. One such program is run by the Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Center of Orange County. This nonprofit group’s goal is to break the destructive cycle of domestic violence and child abuse.

Center volunteers, under the supervision of professional case workers, work with parents who are struggling with issues of abusive parenting, substance addiction and poverty. Last year, these volunteers kept 300 children out of temporary shelters and in their homes at a fraction of the cost of foster home care or placement in shelters.

Perhaps, if prevention programs were supported and expanded, we would not need as many beds in Orangewood. What will it take to convince our elected representatives and the citizens of Orange County that in the case of child abuse, “an ounce of prevention” works better than a big dose of costly buildings?

DOLORES D. GINTER

Fullerton