16 Herald • Lantern - Dispatch 9 April '86

County's Child Abuse Rate

i From page 1) Abuse is^notivated by several factors. Bisese said, including low self-esteem and frustration. "It occurs when a parent can't cope with stress." she said. "A lot (of parent) are immature; a lot are isolated from friends and family. "Some hdve financial problems; some are . drug and alcohol abusers." she added "Many parents who %vere abused as kids abuse their children as well." ACCORDING TO BISESE. the increase is reported and substantiated oases may not mean there is more child abuse and neglect than in the past. "We make an effort to inform people of their responsiblity to report case." she said. "There mt'ght not be much of an increase in abuse dnd neglect, but an increase in people bringing it to our attention." Bisese said there "usually are more" reported cises in the summer, but in 1985 winter and summer figures "seemed to be about the same." "There are a lot more people down here in summer and people are out and socializing more," she said. "It is easier to see a child who is abused or neglected." THE COUNTY consistently has one of the highest rates of substantiated child abuse incidents per thousand children in the state. In 1983 it was first in the state with a 10.1 rale. In 1984 it increased to 12.8. but was second to Essex County's 16.6 However, those figures are based on the county's year-round teen population of just over 20,000 The county's year-round population is about 96.000; it swells to almost 600.000 in summer, an undetermined amount of whom are children under 18. "Our summer figures do include summer visitors." Bisese said. "We get a lot of calls from Wildwood. and from campgrounds and places like that. "When the people leave, we refer them to an agency (in their community)," she added "Sometimes we find out they are . already 'known to the agency." COMPLAINTS or referrals to DYFS come from a variety of sources : neighbors, doctors, teachers, nurses and guidance counselors in schools, local and state police and the county Prosecutor's office. By law. DYFS has to investigate every complaint of child abuse or neglect. The in- " vestigation must begin within 24 hours for abuse cases. 72 hours for neglect cases. "If the child is in immediate danger, we have to go out immediately." Bisese said. DYFS has a toll-free hotline (see related story ) that allows referrals any time of day. Intake workers (the investigators) are oncall, on a rotating basis, to respond nights and weekends. ; M ^B HE HATES NEEDLES — "Bear." a dog who is neither bear nor bare, begs his mistress. Midge Halligan of North Cape May. not to take him into Lower's free rab-A bies inoculation clinic. It didn't do him anjV good.

BY DYFS POLICY, they have 30 days to complete an investigation, make a recommendation. and transfer it to the 11-member unit which follows up on cases. "After a case is investigated and it's decided DYFS should remain involved, they could remain involved for one year or several years." Bisese said. general, they visit families in their homes, sometimes on a monthly basis, sometimes on a quarterly basis." Bisese said the agency often gets calls from people who try to use DYFS as leverage to gain custody of children. "A lot of calls we get have to do with custody battles, rather than actual abuse or neglect." she said. "We still have to go out and investigate the charges even if we can tell over the phone that that's the case. "BY LAW. DYFS HAS to investigate every complaint of child abuse." she added. "And, by law. anyone or everyone who suspects child abuse has to report it. It's a misdemeanor if you don't." Statewide, it is estimated that less than half of known abuse cases «\re reported. In 1985, 4,117 cases per month were reported throughout the state. Within the seven southernmost counties, about 960 childrep>per month were reported to be abused, and at the end of last year 10,200 abused children were receiving protective services in this area. Under the Child Abuse and Neglect Law. DYFS employes, as well as police and employes of the county Probation Department, may remove an endangered child without a court order or parental consent. However, a complaint must be filed in Juvenile and Domestic Court no later than the day after the removal. DYFS WORKS WITH Jersey Cape Homemakers to help parents improve their parenting skills and get babysitters. It also has a contract with Mental Health Services to counsel families. It has a contract with the Youth Advocacy Program (YAP) in Pleasantville. YAP is an organization that supplies companions for adolescents, much like the Big Brothers program. DYFS also works closely with the Social Services unit of the county Welfare Board, the county Prosecutor's Office, local and state police, school teachers, nurses and guidance counselors. The first DYFS office in Cape May County was established in December 1975 Previously, its workers operated out of the Cape May and Atlantic counties office in Atlantic City. In 1975, the staff included five caseworkers. one aide, one supervisor and one clerk. Now. the office has 15 caseworkers, five support specialists, five supervisors and five clerks. It also has one volunteer who drives clients to counseling and doctor's appointments "THE DISTRICT OFFICE is in need of more volunteers." Bisese said. "Right now. we need more drivers." DYFS has declared April "Child Abuse Prevention Month." designed to educate people on the problem, help them recognize abused children and abusive parents, and report them. County freeholders on April 14 are scheduled to sign a proclamation supporting the program and lead ceremonies at the Vo-Tech Center in Crest Haven. There, a special piece of artwork done by Ocean Academy students will be on display. Local police chiefs and schoofsuperintendents will attend. Also, awards will be given to a DYFS employe, a law enforcement agent and one individual or agency for outstanding service or efforts for child abuse prevention Atlantic Electric donated money to print child abuse prevention bumper stickers that bear DYFS' phone number The DYFS District Office is located at the intersection of Route 9 and Rio Grande Boulevard. Rio Grande Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Budget Set (From page 1) of about 13 percent a year. IN THE SAME time period, the portion of the budget raised by local taxes has increased by 95 percent, from $15.4 million to $30 1 million. That's an average of 16 percent per year. The county tax rate of 42.7 cents is almost 1 .5 cents less than it was in 1980 due primarily , to the county's tremendous growth in ratahles and higher assessments due to revaluations. The general county tax rate is based on 100 percent of true value. Undervalued Municipalities will have a higher rate to mpensate; overvalued municipalities a lower rate.

" g — * : ; 2 J.. ■' STUNNING - Anne and Bill George, of Cape May and Mt. Laurel, take time to reUx on the Cape May Beach last week. They were visiting Anne's mother. Mary Foley of Cape

Institute Given Bird Book

STONE HARBOR - The Wetlands Institute recently received a gift of over 100 ornithological and nature books from the Eldora Nature Preserve. The books, which were the private collection of Dr. C. Brooke Worth, include first editions of Bird Studies at Old Cape May. by Witmer Stone, and a complete set of Smithsonian Institute Encyclopedia of Birds. These volumes will become a permanent part of the Herbert Mills Memorial Library at the Institute. DR. WORTH served as a member of the Wetlands Institute board of trustees for over a decade until his death in December. 1964. He was a long time friend of Herbert Mills, founder of the Institute, and an avid naturalist and conservationist. Petrica Is On Board Of NJAEWO AVALON — Borough Council President Pauline Petrica has been elected to the executive board of the New Jersey Association for Elected Women Officials. More than 265 women throughout the state are members of the NJAEWO. which encourages and acknowledges women who are active in political public life. The organization is designed to educate women in political processes, develop their communication skills, prepare them for political posts and acknowledge their accomplishments. PETRICA RECENTLY attended a management training seminar for - elected women in Princeton, and has also attended conferences and seminars in management skills, public information, finance and labor relations. She will be inducted into office in Prindeton March 15. Petrica and her husband, Stephen, live at 294 65th St. here. They have five children. US

Although Worth possessed a medical degree, he much preferred his avocation of naturalist to the treatment of human ills. He traveled throughout the world studying birds, other wildlife, and his favorite, moths and butterflies. AT HIS 170-acre farm in Eldora, he found a great variety of moths and but'terflies, and in 1981, Worth donated his property to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, which in turn transferred it to the Nature Conservancy for management as a nature preserve. It is now one of the only moth and butterfly preserves in the country. The preserve's location at the southern edge of the Pinelands combines southern coastal plains and Pineland habitats, resulting in a rich mixture of moths and butterflies, of which over 1,000 species have been collected and studied. The book collection of Dr. Worth, donated in its entirety by the Nature Conservancy. will be catalogued and made available for public use at the institute in the near future.

The institute is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information, call 368-1211. 300- Year Look Back In Dennis DENNISV1LLE - Three hundred years of schooling are reviewed in "A History of Education ,in Dennis Township 1664-1964". written by a local minister. Rev. William Garrison Hunter, as the thesis for his master's degree work at Glassboro State College. The journal gives an insight into what went on inside the historic structures. Some of the schools mentioned are Ludlam School, built in 1801; the Municipal Hall of Dennis Township, once a one-room school house; the Ocean View School House and the Clermont and Eldors School Houses.

Alcoholism Meet Focus on Students

AVALON - Tickets are now available for the Cape May County Council on Alcoholism's Legislative Breakfast 9 a.m. -noon Friday, May 16, at the Golden Inn here. Focus for this year's breakfast is information about the Student Assistant Program in New Jersey, specifically in the county. Studies show 300,000 New Jersey young people 12-17 abuse alcohol or other drugs, about 62,000 of our youth have serious drinking problems, and 20 percent to 40 percent of New Jersey's children live in homes where one or both parents are chemically dependent. THESE statistics were released last summer by the Governor's Committee on Children's Services Planning in the New Jersey Action Place fbc Children. John R. Edwards of the Southern Regional Curriculum Services Unit for the State of New Jersey will speak on the Benefits of Student Assistant Pro-

grams, Current Laws, Liabilities and Responsibilities of school staff and other legislation that would be pertinent and timely. Senator James R. Hurley. District 1 will speak on legislation as it pertains to alcohol. For tickets call the Council on Alcoholism, 465-2282 or stop by the council's office in the Crest Haven Complex, Department of Health Bldg., Court House. Gattis Named To Dean's List COURT HOUSE - Louis S. Gattis Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Gattis Sr., 42 Colonial Ave., was named to the Dean's List for the 1985 fall semester at Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa. Gattis' maintained a grade point average of 3.8 of a possible 4. He is a 1984 graduate of Wildwood Catholic High School.