Oklahoma is No. 1 in the nation for child deaths per capita because of abuse and neglect. In 2008, there were more than 300 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect in Norman alone, according to information provided by Exchange Club of Norman.

Those who attended a town hall meeting Monday would not only like to see a decline in abuse cases, but they would like to prevent them from happening in the first place.

A standing-room-only crowd gathered Monday in city council chambers to discuss child abuse and neglect prevention policies, services and how to fund them.

The community forum, part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month activities, was sponsored by Exchange Club of Norman and Norman Children's Rights Commission. Panelists included U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, and state and local elected officials.

David Blatt, director of policy with the Oklahoma Policy Institute, an organization committed to advancing policies that alleviate poverty and promote fiscal responsibility, said Oklahoma's poverty rate is 2.6 percentage points higher than the national average. In 2007, one in six Oklahomans lived in poverty.

"Families with children, especially young children, are more likely to live in poverty than other families," Blatt said.

Blatt said although Oklahoma hasn't been hit as hard by the economic downturn as other states, families are facing tough times. The state's unemployment rate is growing, and about 450,000 Oklahomans receive food stamp benefits. At the same time, state revenues are declining.

"We are definitely dealing with shortfalls," Blatt said Linda Terrell, executive director for Center for Children and Families Inc., said child abuse costs taxpayers more than $100 billion a year in related costs. She urged lawmakers to make child abuse and neglect prevention services a priority.

"Now is not the time to cut back on services aimed at preventing maltreatment of children," Terrell said. She said priorities include developing a national strategy for prevention, enacting federal home visit legislation, increasing federal funding for child abuse and neglect prevention services and enacting shaken baby syndrome prevention legislation.

By Tami Althoff

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