In The News

SEPTEMBER 2021

District Attorney Leads Child Abuse Team Just in Time For Back to School 

  District Attorney Paige Clarkson doesn’t like to be wrong. She hopes she is, though, when it comes to child abuse in Marion County.

  Clarkson and other leaders are prepared for increased disclosures of abuse that occurred while children were isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now returning to full time classes for the first time in 18 months, schoolchildren are once again seeing the teachers, counselors, coaches and staff with whom they can safely share accounts of abuse.

  “Child abuse and family violence didn’t stop when COVID caused so many agencies and businesses to reduce services or close their doors,” Clarkson said. “In fact, quite the opposite.”

  Ready to help is Marion County’s child abuse multidisciplinary team – or MDT – a collaboration of welfare, medical and law enforcement personnel. The team meets daily to discuss the most recent investigations of serious child abuse or neglect. 

  “I hope that we’re wrong about child abuse disclosures increasing this fall, but with a team like this, I am proud that we’re better able to handle cases if I’m not,” Clarkson said.

  In her role as Marion County’s chief prosecutor, Clarkson is tasked by state statute to lead the MDT. She’s joined by a phalanx of experts: specially trained prosecutors from Marion County’s child abuse trial team, detectives from Salem and Keizer police departments and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, child welfare workers trained in trauma response from DHS, victim advocates, and staff from Liberty House.

  Liberty House is Marion and Polk counties’ child advocacy center – and the MDT’s hub. It offers a safe, comfortable, child-friendly environment for children and their families facing concerns of abuse, neglect, trauma or grief.

  “It became apparent very early in the COVID pandemic that we were entering a dangerous intersection of increased family stressors and isolated children, said Alison Kelley, Liberty House CEO and MDT co-chair. “Under the leadership of our Board of Directors, we knew that we had to increase capacity and efficiency so that we could see more children facing concerns of abuse and neglect.”  

  Liberty House remained open throughout the COVID pandemic, seeing 17 percent more children than in the prior year. It also boosted capacity by opening a West Salem medical facility, which provides additional medical appointments for children in both counties. Its contributions to the MDT include supplying administrative assistance and workspace as well as intake coordination so children can get quick access to mental health and/or medical professionals. 

     The MDT’s daily meetings allow front-line investigators of child abuse to receive immediate advice, information and referrals. Originally a pilot program, the MDT was enhanced and formally adopted by Clarkson and her partners in the weeks preceding school’s re-opening in early September.

  “By formalizing a co-located child abuse MDT to focus on family violence, we have increased the commitment and dedication to a highly vulnerable population,” said Salem Police Chief Trevor Womack.

  While DHS and Keizer and Salem police departments each assigned investigators to the MDT, Salem Police also donated workspace.

  “It takes a lot of work and experience to live up to the statutory mandate,” Clarkson added. “More importantly, it takes dedicated partners and special relationships to get these investigations right. Therefore, I would like to particularly thank the Salem Police Department and Liberty House for their partnership on this important endeavor.”

  As fall arrives with the expected influx of abuse allegations, most investigations will still start with patrol officers and DHS workers who aren’t on the MDT. Fortunately, they can attend MDT meetings as needed or watch any of the 11 one-hour videos created by MDT members and posted on an online portal. To date, 338 investigators in Marion County have taken advantage of this resource, Clarkson said.

  So if she’s right about child abuse reports increasing, District Attorney Paige Clarkson knows Marion County is ready to help.