IRONTON, Ohio (WSAZ) -- Child abuse and neglect are at epidemic levels, according to one national study.

The front liners are dealing with severe funding cuts across the board, and there's great debate on what needs to happen to turn this epidemic of abuse around.

Foster parent Jane Fields said when she picked up a child abuse victim, the girl was in horrible shape. Over 22 years, the loving lady known as "Granny" has taken in more than 200 abuses and neglected children, and "Granny" says to cut the problem increase the penalties.

"Give stiffer jail sentences for the ones who harm these children," Fields said. "They didn't ask to be born."

After funding forced cutbacks, Randy Thompson is one of only two child abuse and neglected investigators handling 80 current active cases in Lawrence County, Ohio. This is where there were more than 1,000 referrals last year, involving more than 2,000 children possibly abused or neglected.

"We have families with babies who were born addicted and parents without drug problems who assault their kids," Thompson said. "There's no way we can get to all of them in a timely manner -- we just skim the surface."

Anti-child abuse and neglect advocates propose spending up to $5 billion in federal funds to support child protection services.

Some think most of that money should go to investigating suspected abusive families and taking away children at risk. Others say no -- it would be better to support at-risk families so fewer children would be removed from their homes in the first place.

But front line investigators say keeping children in the home is not always the safest alternative.

Lawrence County Family Services Director Gene Myers said budget cuts have eliminated the vital follow up programs social workers used to do with at-risk families. Slashed government funding also forced the Family Services Department to cut its abuse and neglect awareness programs in schools and in the community.

That's one reason there's a national proposal to recharge a public campaign to report child abuse and neglect.