Change Your License Plate and Change A Child’s Life

April’s observance of Child Abuse Prevention Month reminds us all of our collective responsibility to make positive choices that will impact the safety and well-being of our children. Beyond the choices we make every day to assure our own children and the children we know receive nurturing, loving experiences every day, we can make choices that will affect change at the governmental and community level on the systems that support healthy community and family development.

Making the choice to purchase Oregon’s “Keep Kids Safe” (KKS) License Plate is a positive action to help ensure the present and future of Deschutes County children. Each plate you purchase will fund child abuse prevention programs across 36 Oregon counties including in OUR community.

In 2010 in the State of Oregon, there were nearly 72,000 reports and over 11,000 victims of child abuse or neglect, an increase of 4001 reports from 2009. Child abuse and neglect is a problem in community. In 2011 in Central Oregon there were nearly 2,500 reports of abuse and neglect (we know that three times as many children are maltreated as are reported to Child Welfare so this number is under reported). We know that the abuse happens early in life – nearly all of the children are under the age of six, and that the abuse most often happens in
the privacy of the home.

Current economic conditions are placing increased stress on families, making children more vulnerable to abuse and neglect – at the same time public and private funding for services is declining.

The majority of child abuse and neglect cases stem from situations and conditions that are preventable with the support of an engaged community. The good news is that child abuse and neglect can be reduced by making sure that families have the support they need to raise their children in a healthy environment.

Deschutes County has a robust system of organizations and programs that work to prevent or intervene in child abuse including:

1. Healthy Families of the High Desert (known regionally as Healthy Start)
2. Nurse Family Partnership
3. MountainStar Family Relief Nursery
4. Family Resource Center
5. KIDS Center
6. Head Start
7. CASA
8. Saving Grace
9. Cascade Youth and Family Center

These programs utilize evidence based or proven practices that prevent or reduce child abuse and neglect. They (along with other local programs) are eligible to receive revenue from the Keep Kids Safe License Plate sales.

The quest for a KKS License Plate took amazing perseverance and the commitment of many. It started when a Deschutes County Children & Families Commission (CFC) board member moved to Oregon from a state that had a “Keep Kids Safe” License Plate. Thirty-three other states have a revenue generating, child abuse prevention specialty license plate. The CFC, in partnership with Representative Gene Whisnant, mobilized to research the feasibility of creating a Keep Kids Safe plate in Oregon.

In 2007, Representative Whisnant sponsored a bill that did not pass in the House Transportation Committee. In 2009, Representative Whisnant sponsored HB 3121. “Keep Kids Safe” received overwhelming support in the House, with 57 members voting to protect children and strengthen families. The bill did not pass in the Senate Transportation Committee. In 2011, Representative Whisnant (along with Representative Jason Conger, Senator Chris Telfer and many other co-sponsors) sponsored HB 3250 Keep Kids Safe. For a second time it received overwhelming support in the House, and again, it did not pass in the Senate Transportation Committee.

With continued perseverance, Representatives Deborah Boone and Gene Whisnant resurrected the bill. Representative Boone identified the bill as a “priority bill” and it was re-introduced as HB 3684. It passed overwhelmingly in the House and the Senate and was signed into law.

The KKS license plate applications are now available at any DMV field offices or at the DMV website at http://cms.oregon.gov/odot/dmv/pages/vehicle/platechange.aspx. For the low cost of ^$30 plus applicable fees (for a two year registration) you can improve the lives of children and families in our community. The Children’s Trust Fund of Oregon provides more information on the “Keep Kids Safe” License Plate on their website, including a toolkit for those who’d like to help champion awareness of the license plate: www.ctfo.org/kkslicenseplate. And make sure you check out how easy it is to change to a KKS License Plate:

1.            Apply using a Renewal Reminder http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/pages/vehicle/platechange.aspx#withrem

2.            Apply without Renewal Reminder http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/pages/vehicle/platechange.aspx#withoutre

3.            Request KKS license plate when you purchase a new car

While April is recognized nationally as Child Abuse Prevention Month, every day should be about preventing child abuse. Preventing child abuse is possible if, collectively and individually, we make the right choices and changes for our children – Oregon and Deschutes County’s future. Choose to create a better future for our children and get your “Keep Kids Safe” License Plate today.