One of the things I’ve been doing with my time lately is sitting on the board of How Are the Children? (HATCH?) It is a public private partnership, started by Janet Rowland, to prevent child abuse and neglect in Mesa County. It was organized after six children, under the age of three, died as the result of child abuse in a very short period of time between January of 2006 and June of 2007.
Just as Mesa County is a model for the health care industry, with things like Marillac Clinic and medical records accessible to doctors online and Rocky Mountain Health Care—a not-for-profit model of health insurance, HATCH? is becoming a model for preventing child abuse. It brings together not-for-profits, schools, county human services agencies, police departments, and concerned citizens.
Last evening HATCH? hosted a town hall meeting to ask the question “How can we ensure that every child has an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development?” This was part of a multi-state listening tour by the National Movement for Children. Jim Hmurovich, President and CE of Prevent Child Abuse America and Becky Miller Updike, Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman, were special guest speakers.
“It takes a village,” but outside of existing partners, not much of the village was present at this informative and useful meeting. No media were present, even though national and state experts were in town for the meeting. Let me tell you who did show up: representatives from many Mesa County agencies, the Superintendent of School District 51, and the Grand Junction Chief of Police. This was an opportunity lost for telling the story about this great collaborative effort.
So, now it is your turn. Ask yourself “How can we ensure that every child has an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development?” Some of the answers are in the links below.
Homework:
KREX Interview with Board President
HATCH? at the Mesa County Website
HATCH? on Facebook
National Movement for Children
Prevent Child Abuse America
STory about Colorado's Ombudsman
How to Get Involved
Just as Mesa County is a model for the health care industry, with things like Marillac Clinic and medical records accessible to doctors online and Rocky Mountain Health Care—a not-for-profit model of health insurance, HATCH? is becoming a model for preventing child abuse. It brings together not-for-profits, schools, county human services agencies, police departments, and concerned citizens.
Last evening HATCH? hosted a town hall meeting to ask the question “How can we ensure that every child has an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development?” This was part of a multi-state listening tour by the National Movement for Children. Jim Hmurovich, President and CE of Prevent Child Abuse America and Becky Miller Updike, Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman, were special guest speakers.
“It takes a village,” but outside of existing partners, not much of the village was present at this informative and useful meeting. No media were present, even though national and state experts were in town for the meeting. Let me tell you who did show up: representatives from many Mesa County agencies, the Superintendent of School District 51, and the Grand Junction Chief of Police. This was an opportunity lost for telling the story about this great collaborative effort.
So, now it is your turn. Ask yourself “How can we ensure that every child has an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development?” Some of the answers are in the links below.
Homework:
KREX Interview with Board President
HATCH? at the Mesa County Website
HATCH? on Facebook
National Movement for Children
Prevent Child Abuse America
STory about Colorado's Ombudsman
How to Get Involved
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