Greene County Public Health Utilizes Grant Funds for Child Abuse Educational Materials

JEFFERSON, Iowa – For the past three years, Greene County Public Health has used funds received through the Communities 4 Children Decategorization and Community Partnerships for Protecting Children Neighborhood/Community Network (DCAT/CPPC) mini grants to purchase and distribute books to area schools and agencies.

“Our team was recently able to deliver copies of Jayneen Sanders book, ‘Let’s Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent & Respect’ to Greene County and Paton-Churdan fourth-grade students,” explained Public Health Director, Shelby Cooklin, RN. “With the goal of reducing and eliminating child abuse, we believe this book is the appropriate next-level follow-up to a book previously provided through these mini grants. We want all our area students to understand what consent means and the importance of body boundaries while they also learn about the concept of a Safety Network. We want families to open the communication channels and find ways to identify and prevent abuse and for children to feel safe in being able to report abuse while also resolving their concerns.”

The book delivers the message that there are places on the child’s body that should not be touched. It helps them identify “safe” people to talk to should someone touch them inappropriately in areas covered by their swimsuits—a boundary that can more easily be understood by children.

In addition to the fourth-grade students, Public Health delivered copies of the book to local law enforcement agencies, libraries throughout Greene County, daycare providers, local medical clinics and it is offered through Public Health’s Healthy Opportunities for Parents to Experience Success (H.O.P.E.S.) program and in their immunization clinics.

To report child or dependent adult abuse or suspected child abuse or neglect, contact the State of Iowa Department of Health and Human Services at 800-362-2178, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Though you may report abuse anonymously if you are not a mandatory reporter, please be ready to provide the child’s location and identifying details. Mandatory reporters must provide their name and contact information. If you believe a child is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.