A4
THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, OcTObER 7, 2021
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
DERRICK DePLEDGE
Editor
Founded in 1873
SHANNON ARLINT
circulation Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
GUEST COLUMN
Child abuse and neglect is preventable
W
ith children across Oregon
in school full time for the
first time in more than 18
months, they are spending significant
portions of their days with teachers and
other education professionals.
Educators, who are mandatory
reporters of child abuse and neglect,
have a unique opportunity to get to
know the children and families they see
daily. They are there
to share and experi-
ence a child’s victories,
strengths and challenges
as they learn, grow and
interact with friends at
school.
As mandatory report-
REBECCA
ers, when educators
JONES
have a reason to believe
GASTON
a child is experiencing
abuse or neglect, they
are required by law to report that con-
cern to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline
by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).
But what should an educator, or other
caring adult, do when they see a child
and family who is in need or crisis,
but do not believe that a child is being
abused or neglected?
Our data tells us that many people
turn to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline
when they want to help but are not sure
how.
This year, approximately 53,000 —
nearly half — of the calls to the hotline
were not reports of suspected abuse or
neglect. These are calls from educa-
tors and other members of our commu-
nity who recognize that a child and their
family might need assistance because
they are struggling with hunger, hous-
ing instability, job loss, mental or phys-
ical health issues or other stressful
situations.
Often these calls come to us because
the callers are not sure where to turn for
support.
There are many different resources
and supports available in our communi-
ties to help children and families meet
their needs. Sometimes, the best way to
support child and family well-being and
safety is to help them get plugged-in to
the resources they need:
Local supports in your community:
• Dial 211, or text your zip code to
898-211 to get connected to local food,
Salem Reporter
The state has resources to help prevent child abuse and neglect.
housing, child care and other supports.
• Clatsop Community Action:
503-325-1400
• Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare:
503-325-5722
Mental and behavioral health
supports:
• Youthline: Call 1-877-968-8491,
text teen2teen to 839863, chat at www.
oregonyouthline.org
• LinesForLife.org/get-help-now/
• Lines for Life Suicide Lifeline:
Call 1-800-273-8255 (24/7) or text
273TALK to 839863 (Monday through
Friday, 2 to 6 p.m.)
• Oregon Behavioral Health Support
Line: Call 1-800-923-4357 (24/7)
• Military Helpline: Call 1-888-457-
4838 (24/7) or text MIL1 to 839863
(Monday through Friday, 2 to 6 p.m.)
• Resources to help educators pro-
vide mental health and social support
for children and families are available
at https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educa-
tor-resources/standards/Pages/Mental_
Health_Students_Families.aspx.
Food support:
• Find a food local pantry by visiting
foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org.
Government programs and
support:
• Learn about government pro-
grams and community resources for
older adults and people with disabili-
ties by contacting the Aging and Dis-
ability Resource Connection of Oregon
at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcofore-
gon.org.
• Apply for government food, cash,
child care assistance and the Oregon
Health Plan online at ONE.Oregon.gov
or by calling 1-800-699-9075.
Of course, when an educator or other
caring adult suspects a child is expe-
riencing abuse or neglect that person
should, and may be required by law, to
report that concern to the Oregon Child
Abuse Hotline.
We all want children and families in
Oregon to be healthy, safe and happy.
Child abuse and neglect is prevent-
able when communities come together
to support children and families, and
there are many organizations, nonprofits
and people who can help support fam-
ilies and prevent a family’s crisis from
becoming a child’s safety issue.
Rebecca Jones Gaston is the director
of the child welfare division of the Ore-
gon department of Human Services.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
On-call system for vets
I
sn’t there a way that the veterinari-
ans’ offices in this county could estab-
lish an on-call system for after-hours and
on weekends? Surely there are enough vet-
erinarians available to take turns, so that
there would be some type of emergency
care available when needed.
We lost our 9-year-old Newfound-
land-Bernese mix in September to bloat.
The symptoms started late at night. We
called our vet’s office, got the number to
call at Medix, but no vets were on call that
night. After making many phone calls, we
made the difficult decision to attempt the
trip to DoveLewis clinic in Portland. She
died 5 minutes from the clinic.
She did have other medical issues, and
she may not have made it through surgery,
and it was probably best that she did not
have to go through the surgery, but what if
it was a younger, healthy dog? Or, if a dog
got hit by a car, or some other emergency?
Don’t we have enough people in this
county, let alone the many visitors that
come here with their pets, to justify having
a vet on call?
I hope the veterinarians’ offices will
address this important issue.
TERRI LEHMAN
Astoria
Protective protocols
o the people of Warrenton: When I
learned about the vaccination issue
arising with our firefighters, I went to the
fire station to discuss this problem with
our chief, Brian Alsbury.
I expressed my concerns about the pos-
sibility of one of our responding person-
nel to be the source of COVID-19 contact
on a medical response call. Chief Alsbury
presented me with a side of this issue that I
had not thought of before.
Before entering any medical call, the
responders outfit with N95 masks, gog-
gles, a protective gown or suit and pro-
tective gloves, the reason being that the
responder has no idea of what possible dis-
eases the person they are trying to help
may have. This side of things had not
occurred to me.
On returning to our fire station, a pro-
cess is performed to thoroughly sanitize
the vehicle, and any and all equipment that
T
LETTERS WELCOME
Letters should be exclusive to The
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tact are wiped down with sanitizing wipes.
This set of protective protocols for our
to other letter writers should address
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Send via email to editor@dailyasto-
rian.com, online at bit.ly/astorianlet-
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responders’ protection also works very
well to protect the person who has called
for help. Chief Alsbury assures me that
department protective protocols makes it
nearly impossible for a responder to trans-
mit any disease the responder might have.
In the Warrenton Fire Department, I see
a well-trained group of volunteers doing
things the right way.
RICK NEWTON
Warrenton City Commission
One side
have been subscribing to The Astorian
newspaper for over 40 years. As of this
date, I am canceling my subscription.
I am appalled with the narrow views of
The Astorian and the one-sided reporting
of the stories surrounding the pandemic.
The letters to the editor are also only
reflecting one side of the COVID issue.
PAMELA TILLSON
Astoria
I