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OPERATION C.A.R.E. “Nothing can be more basic to the
function of a society than protecting the
welfare of its most vulnerable, our children.
We have no future if our children
can’t see tomorrow.”
Those words from Borough President
Adams came following a number
of shocking cases of child abuse last
year that shook the foundations of the
child protection system in New York City.
Three-year-old Jaden Jordan of Gravesend
was allegedly found not breathing,
badly beaten, and covered in feces;
he su ered a severe brain injury and
was taken in a comatose state to New
York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia
where he later died from his injuries. A
few months before, Zymere Perkins, a
six-year-old from Harlem, su ered similar
abuse and subsequently died from a
fatal beating allegedly by his mother and
her boyfriend. Four children died at the
hands of abuse this past January alone.
Borough President Adams believes
that combatting child abuse requires us
to invest time and resources in community
engagement, utilizing the expertise,
resources, and trust of faith-based organizations,
social workers, nuclear and
extended families, friends, schoolteachers,
and all other members of the community
who interact with children. With
this philosophy in mind, he launched
Operation C.A.R.E. (Child Abuse Response
and Engagement) last December
alongside Ama Dwimoh, Esq., former
chief and founder of the Crimes
Against Children Bureau in the Kings
County District Attorney’s O ce. This
multilingual outreach campaign educates
and empowers residents across
Brooklyn on identifying signs of child
abuse and neglect in their communities.
Trainings are presented by Ms. Dwimoh,
who currently serves as special counsel
to Borough President Adams, at civic organizations,
houses of worship, schools,
and senior centers across Brooklyn.
“We are bringing an expert eye, ear,
and voice to the crisis of child abuse,
and we will educate and empower as
many Brooklynites and New Yorkers
as we can to be e ective community
guardians of our children,” said Borough
President Adams. “Child welfare can
never be the sole responsibility of one
person, one organization, one agency.
Every single one of us needs to look inward.
I am responsible. You are responsible.
We are responsible. We are all
part of C.A.R.E.”
According to the New York City Administration
for Children’s Services
(ACS), between July and September of
2016, there were 10,056 total reports
to the New York State Central Register
(SCR) of suspected child abuse and/or
neglect citywide. Brooklyn had 3,042 reports
during that period, 30 percent of
the total fi gure. At least one-third of the
reports had one prior complaint connected
to them.
Operation C.A.R.E. has received the
support of advocates of child abuse
survivors, including Safe Horizon, along
with Social Services Employees Union
(SSEU) Local 371, which represents ACS
workers. In recent weeks, the program
has been featured at houses of worship
across Brooklyn about recognizing and
responding to child abuse. For instance,
Ms. Dwimoh delivered a presentation at
the International Conference of Chabad-
Lubavitch Shluchos, an annual gathering
attended by 4,500 Jewish female
community leaders from 91 countries
– a fi rst-of-its-kind address for this assembly.
“We, each and every one of us, has
a call to action; the action is we must
remain vigilant in protecting our children,”
said Ms. Dwimoh. “Children have
to come fi rst; there’s no second, third, or
fourth. We’ve got children who are living
in home-grown terrorism within their
homes, where they sleep at night.”
Borough President Adams urges all
Brooklynites to be vigilant and take heed
of the resources available to report child
abuse cases. Those who see something
should say something, calling 911 in
case of emergency. For all suspected
child abuse cases, individuals should
either call the state Central Registry
Mandated Reporter line for mandated
reporters at (800) 635-1522 or the public
hotline at (800) 342-3720.
A number of trainings have been
planned across Brooklyn in the months
ahead, including at Mount Ararat Baptist
Signs of
Child Abuse
• Aggressive behavior or
behavioral extremes
• Constant hunger
• Depressed or listless behavior
• Eating disorders
• Failure to thrive
• Fear of going home
• Inappropriate dress
• Loss of interest
• Poor hygiene
• Poor peer relationships
• Sexually inappropriate
behavior
• Sleep disturbances
• Unexplained home absences
Church in Ocean Hill and at the Brownsville
Collaborative Middle School, an
event held in special commemoration of
Child Abuse Awareness Month in April.
To learn more about Operation C.A.R.E.,
please call (718) 802-4042 or email operationcare@
brooklynbp.nyc.gov.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and his special counsel Ama
Dwimoh, Esq., founder and former chief of the Crimes Against Children Bureau
in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, presented the logo for
Operation C.A.R.E. (Child Abuse Response and Engagement) inside Brooklyn
Borough Hall.
There’s a new school
opening in District 21!
HLA2 Opens this fall
with K & 1st grades
Your child can enroll in
one of New York’s truly
unique public schools!
APPLY for ADMISSION
and learn more at:
hla2.org
Apply b y Apr. 1s t. L ottery, Apr. 20
Contact us:
212-792-6236
admission@hebrewpublic.org
Exact school location
to be announced soon.
Our curriculum includes:
• Daily instruction in English
Language Arts and math,
with individualized approach
to meet the needs of all
learners.
• Daily instruction in Modern
Hebrew studies, with emphasis
on language proficiency.
• Social Studies & science
instruction twice a week.
• Introduction to technology.
• Israel Studies curriculum
including the study of geography,
culture and history of
Israel and its people.
• Chess • Physical education
• Performing arts
We are a public school and as
such, do not teach religion.
BROOKLYN NEWS