NORWICH – April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to promote awareness and outreach for children who are abused either physically or sexually, maltreated or neglected.

In Chenango County, child abuse is all too prevalent. Of the 62 counties in New York State, Chenango ranks fifth in the number of child abuse instances - a concern at the forefront for Chenango’s team of physical and mental health professionals, law enforcement and crime victim advocates.

According to Mike Middaugh, director of the Chenango County Child Advocacy Center (CAC), Chenango County’s ranking is based on percentage, meaning the actual number of child abuse cases may not top those of more metropolitan areas, but there are more cases per capita, which is equally alarming.

“We have been aggressive at looking at these child abuse complaints very closely,” Middaugh said. The CAC is just one component of a team that also includes: Chenango Head Start; the Perinatal Network; Bassett Healthcare, Tri Town Health Centers and UHS Chenango Memorial; the Office of the District Attorney; Chenango County Department of Social Services; Chenango Public Health and Mental Health departments; and the Catholic Charities Crime Victims Program. “All of us have a place at the table and all have a role in preventing child abuse.”

The number of child abuse claims have climbed steadily in the last two years. In 2011, the CAC handled a total 100 cases of abuse. That number jumped to 142 last year; a 42 percent increase. And if trends heeded by the CAC continue for 2013, Middaugh predicts the number of claims to increase again by the end of the year.

Daniel Auwarter, director of Catholic Charities of Chenango County Crime Victims Program, plays a leading role in the county’s battle against child abuse. He stressed that while Chenango’s fifth place ranking in child abuse is based on percentage, it is nothing to be taken lightly.

“It is easy in a tight knit community to say those are issues that are more prevalent to urban areas, but those problems exist everywhere,” he pointed out. “We have to do the same amount of outreach, or even more, than they do in other areas. We think our kids need the same amount of compassion and care that they get anywhere else.”

Although Auwarter called it unfair for the actual number of abuse cases in Chenango County to be compared to more urban areas, he reassured that the CAC was still receiving the monetary support needed to address the issues of child abuse in the area.