Page 30 - EdViewptsSpring2021

Preventing Child Abuse and
Youth Suicide Through a
Pandemic and Beyond
By Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW, Commissioner of the NJ Department of
Children and Families
The New Jersey
Department of Children
and Families is a state
agency dedicated to
helping families to
stay safe, healthy, and
connected. We have long
recognized that this important work
cannot be done in silos, or even by
one state agency, but rather with the
collaboration and the support of a
wide range of system partners that
are as deeply committed to child and
youth safety and family well-being Research and field experts tell us,
as we are. This past year has further and we know from our daily practice,
demonstrated how vital our system
that in times of crisis and national
partners are in realizing our mission emergencies, incidents of child abuse,
and vision. domestic violence, and sexual assault
tend to rise. It is why COVID-19 is
For over a year now, we have all said to have created what has been
witnessed the challenges brought
on by the COVID-19 pandemic and referred to as a parallel pandemic.
In New Jersey, we saw evidence of
how they have amplified the needs of
so many residents throughout New this early on with an increase in calls
Jersey. The impacts to families already to the domestic violence hotline up
at-risk, such as ones with histories of 14% during the first five months of the
violence, addiction, or mental illness pandemic when compared to the prior
and ones who have children with year during the same time.
disabilities or mental health issues of
their own, have been even greater.
Educational Viewpoints -28- Spring 2021