YDAS

Kentucky had the highest rate of child deaths from abuse and neglect in the United States during 2007, according to a report released Wednesday by a national child advocacy group.

Every single Child Matters Education Fund, a non-profit group in Washington, D.C., reported that 41 Kentucky children died from abuse and neglect in 2007 — a rate of 4.09 deaths per 100,000 Kentucky youngsters.

To assist stem the tide of deaths, the group known as on state officials to make public specific data about every child’s death, which includes regardless of whether he or she had previous contact with state social workers.

“If you want to stop youngsters from dying, it would be in the finest interest of Kentucky to open up the procedure,” said Michael Petit, the group’s president. “It’s not a question of affixing blame it’s a question of studying.”

Kentucky law permits the disclosure of details about youngsters who die from abuse or neglect but does not appear to mandate release of the details.

Every year, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services produces an annual report of deaths and near deaths caused by child abuse and neglect, but it does not present any specifics about every child’s case.

“Our practice is to address confidentiality in the manner dictated by state statute and regulation,” said Patricia R. Wilson, commissioner of the state Department for Community Based Services. “Opening such records is a complex concern that would require careful thought and deliberation in order to protect innocent family members.”

The Herald-Leader has filed an appeal in Franklin Circuit Court of the Cabinet’s denial of a request for records in the May death of 22-month-old Kayden Branham, who died in Wayne County after drinking liquid drain cleaner that was allegedly being used to manufacture methamphetamine.

In addition to calling for changes in state law, the report challenges Congress to modify federal confidentiality laws. Such changes would allow policy-makers, the media and the public to recognize better what policies will need to be improved in the aftermath of a child’s death, he said.

A photo of 10-year-old Michaela Watkins, the Clark County girl who received 77 injuries at the hands of her father and stepmother in 2007 just before she died, represented Kentucky on the cover of the report, “We Can Do Greater: Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths in America.”

Michaela had been monitored by social workers after she was removed from her mother’s home and sent to live with her father and stepmother, Patrick and Joy Watkins. The two had been discovered guilty of murdering Michaela, who had been scalded and beaten.

Nationally, as many as 50 percent of the youngsters who died had previously been brought to the attention of authorities. State data has shown similar outcomes in Kentucky.

The report said 210 kids died from abuse and neglect in Kentucky from 2001 to 2007.

“Reports such as this, though troubling, serve to heighten the importance of investing in strengthening families and protecting children from abuse and neglect,” said Wilson, the Kentucky Cabinet official.

Despite the numbers, Petit said, children need to be taken away from their families in only a modest number of instances. Rather, he said, state and federal lawmakers should invest most offered funds on efforts to build stronger families, such as strengthening nutrition assistance, preventing teen pregnancy, growing health care coverage for kids and providing dollars for property nurses to go to 1st-time, low-income mothers.

Petit criticized the voting records of Kentucky’s U.S. senators, Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell, on legislation that he said could assist prevent child deaths. According to the national child-advocacy group Vote Kids, Bunning did not vote for any of the legislation that the organization deemed as helpful to Kentucky’s children. McCon nell voted for two bills.

Representatives of both senators said the criticism was unfounded.

“It’s unfortunate that this report by a D.C. special interest group chose to ignore what Senator McConnell has really performed for the youngsters of Kentucky,” said McConnell spokesman Robert Steurer.

Steurer said McConnell supported a University of Louisville program to help detect and prevent child abuse, wrote legislation to increase funding for a program that supplies health insurance for low-income kids and advocates for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Bunning’s spokesman, Mike Reynard, noted that Bunning has nine youngsters, 35 grandchildren and five fantastic-grandchildren.

“Senator Bunning is a family man who votes his values and doesn’t pay attention to the views of an extremist organization that cares much less about improving the lives of our nation’s children and far more about pushing the agenda of Democrats in Washington and the liberal elite of Hollywood,” Reynard said in a statement.

The group says it is non-partisan.

The report shows that in 2004, the most recent data available, was spent per capita in Kentucky on child welfare services, ranking it 16th among states.

Child advocates noted that the state’s budget has faced repeated cuts because then.

“The most alarming aspect of this alarming report is the numbers come before the most recent series of spending budget cuts,” said Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, the state’s leading child-advocacy group.

Brooks said Cabinet officials have dealt well with mandated budget cuts, but programs that help save lives and funds continue to shrink.

“Belt-tightening may possibly be excellent for Frankfort political careers,” he said. “It is a poor concept for Kentucky’s children.”