What could Idaho do with another $350 million this year? Imagine the possibilities; money for competitive wages or more staff in key areas such as law enforcement and education, with enough left to return lost grant funds to charitable service organizations. And how would we get this big chunk of cash - more cuts or more taxes?Neither. Just stop abusing children.

America spends $80 billion annually coping with the effects of abuse and neglect on 1.25 million children. Idaho's share of that is $350 million, according to a new report which measures direct and indirect costs. "Abuse" refers to all types: sexual, physical, and emotional, from shaken babies to rape, and failure to feed, educate, or nurture.Abuse takes a traumatic toll beyond its direct victim. Families, friends, schoolmates and potentially anyone in contact with that child may be affected by the short and long-term effects of abuse. As the report "Estimated Annual Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect" illustrates, so eventually are state budgets.

Abuse is everybody's problem. Costs measured by the study include:* Medical treatment (short and long-term)

* Foster care/emergency housing* Welfare system

* Law enforcement* Mental health/counseling

* Special education/learning disorders* Lost work and productivity

* Homelessness* Juvenile and adult crime

"Victims of child maltreatment are at high risk for a host of adverse short and long-term outcomes, including chronic health problems, mental health issues, developmental delays, poor educational well-being, and future involvement with the criminal justice system," state Drs. Richard Gelles and Staci Perlman, who authored the report.The report was commissioned by Child Abuse America (Idaho's affiliate member is Idaho Children's Trust Fund) and funded by Macy's. Previous cost estimates were higher; this study adjusted for certain actual, rather than estimated, annual costs by comparison to earlier studies.

Idaho Children's Trust attempts to focus awareness on issues such as shaken baby syndrome and other parent education efforts (how much crying is normal and how to handle it). A recent Canadian medical report featured on ICTF's web site reports long term harm from corporal punishment, negatively impacting cognitive development and IQ.Homelessness is often overlooked as an effect of abuse. Among adults who experienced physical abuse, 27.8 percent later experience homelessness (compared to 2.4 percent of non-abused adults). Figures are similar to juvenile crime rates, with 27 percent of abused kids committing a juvenile crime or delinquency.

Another 2010 study calculated the average lifetime cost of child maltreatment as $210,012 per child. The average cost per death from abuse is $1.2 million.For more information see Idahochildrenstrustfund.org and Preventchildabuse.org.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at sholehjo@hotmail.com