Oregon House Bill 3835 Hurts Kids
Stories of child abuse are common in Oregon.
We have heard horrific stories told by youth in Oregon’s foster care system—including traumatic memories of repeatedly being sold for sex.
Numerous state-funded providers have been reported to abuse kids.
Years of ongoing sexual abuse of teens has gone ignored in Saint Helens. The list of offenses is long and extremely painful, and our youngest citizens are paying heavy prices.
How can anyone say there is too much investigation of abuse in foster care, or any other state system, right now?!
Our Position
Disability Rights Oregon is shocked House Bill (HB) 3835 has even seen the light of day. It hurts kids and we need your help to stop it.
Some of our specific concerns about this dangerous legislation include:
Limits sexual abuse investigations to only incidents accusing a DHS-paid provider. If anyone else in the home hurts a child, it won’t be investigated.
Restricts DHS investigations of all types of abuse when reported outside the central hotline. Shouldn’t all abuse be investigated regardless of how people report it?
Deems illegal seclusion and restraint practices acceptable—unless a child dies or is permanently disfigured.
Removes nearly all independent oversight of DHS, including by juvenile and all other courts.
Allows DHS to send already traumatized kids to unsafe, out-of-state facilities far from family without independent court approval.
Guts Oregon restrictions on seclusion and restraints of all students.
Enables DHS to house foster youth in homeless shelters, regardless of whether their mental and physical health needs are being met.
We Need Your Help
The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) is charged with supporting families and children to keep them safe and healthy. But instead, it’s hoodwinking the public—by trying to pass a bill that limits sexual abuse investigations, guts the laws on seclusion and restraint in schools, and allows the state to house foster youth in homeless shelters.
The truth is DHS is attempting to change the definition of child abuse and drastically limit investigations of abuse and neglect. If HB 3835 passes, more children and youth will be hurt. The House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services can’t let that happen.
Chief Sponsors:
Representative Nosse (at the request of System of Care Advisory Council, Oregon Department of Human Services)
Committee:
House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services
