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Blair leaders mark Child Abuse Prevention Month

County seeks help in identifying cases, protecting children

By Kay Stephens 3 min read

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Blair County leaders asked Tuesday for help with identifying child welfare cases while pledging their continued commitment toward prevention and prosecution.

In a ceremony outside the Courthouse, sheriff deputies Morgan McDermott and Julia Zucofski raised a flag in recognition of Child Abuse Awareness Month to draw attention to the local issue.

Blair County Children, Youth & Families Administrator Tiffany Treese said her agency last year investigated 697 cases involving sexual, physical and major medical neglect issues and an additional 2,800 reports of general neglect.

Treese said that adds up to almost 3,400 referrals -- about 4% of Blair County's 50,000 families -- that the CYF office was involved with.

President Judge Wade A. Kagarise encouraged people to be involved in the lives of local children and quoted Nelson Mandella, who said, "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."

"I want to encourage everyone in the community to think about that and to remember what you can do in your daily life to prevent child abuse and to protect children," Kagarise said.

The judge suggested supporting programs that help needy children, or volunteering for programs or organizations that assist children.

"And unfortunately, if it's necessary, it can also mean reaching out to law enforcement or child welfare agencies if you have a concern that children are being neglected or abused," he added.

Treese offered a similar message in her remarks.

"If you have a concern, if you see something -- and you don't have to know something is going on -- but if you see it or think something is going on, then report it. Call ChildLine, call the CYF agency, call police, call the school district," she said. "Scream it until somebody pays attention."

District Attorney Pete Weeks, whose office prosecutes those charged with child abuse offenses, spoke of having good cooperation with law enforcement agencies and the county's CYF office, which he said is helping to hold the offenders accountable.

"What we also enjoy in Blair County is a rich tradition that if law enforcement succeeds in obtaining a conviction, then our judges have made it clear that child abusers will be subjected to the full force of punishment that the law provides," the district attorney said.

Kagarise also recognized the county's CYF staff in attendance at the ceremony. While CYF staffing dropped to historically low levels after the COVID-19 pandemic -- and at one point had only five caseworkers -- Treese said Tuesday that her agency now has 14 full-time and three part-time caseworkers.

"We've doubled our staffing since last year but we still have a ways to go," she said.

Sheriff James Ott said after the ceremony that he expects the flag raised Tuesday will probably remain up through the second week of May.

He also said that his office remains committed to supporting child abuse awareness efforts and to helping children feel safe around law enforcement officers so they're willing to disclose abuse.

"For children to be comfortable with and to trust law enforcement officers, I think that's important for our community," the sheriff said.

As in prior years, the preschoolers from Kids First Lily Pond Child Development Center provided entertainment by singing "Oh, What a Miracle Am I," and by joining in the Pledge of Allegiance.

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