Shrinking resources alarming

Kudos to Shawn Vestal (Oct. 6) for his article which brought to light the disturbing and delicate subject of “bad boyfriends” and the role they have played in several deaths of children in our area. He made clear that our community lacks funding ($7 million cut), manpower (380 jobs lost at the Department of Social and Health Services) and programs (Nurse Family Partnership being scaled back or eliminated), all of which helped the most vulnerable. Vestal paints a bleak picture, thus, we will continue to watch “bad boyfriends” kill children.

I disagree with Vestal’s assessment of services in the community. Research shows that parenting skills and relationship capacity are passed through the generations; the way to impact individuals is through the larger family system. In our community programs such as Strengthening Families, Positive Indian Parenting, Second Step and Nurturing Parenting are offered for free, include dinner and day care. The value of such programs is that they support the whole family in developing healthy and safe environments in which families can thrive.

Vestal got some information correct but left out the most important: the ways we as a community can make an impact on families, before the next “bad boyfriend” strikes.

Laurie Dretke

Spokane