April 7, 2025
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and we’re highlighting OPS Member Adebimpe Adewusi, MD, FAAP. Dr. Adewusi is a double board general pediatrician/child abuse pediatrician and the current Medical Director at CARES (Child Abuse Response and Evaluation Services) Northwest, (www.caresnw.org), one of the oldest children’s advocacy centers in the country and the largest in Oregon. She has practiced in both general pediatrics and child abuse pediatrics for 17 years.
In the heart of Northwest Oregon, at the critical intersection of healthcare challenges and child protection, Dr. Adebimpe (Bimpe) Adewusi stands as a powerful force, dedicating her career to preventing child abuse and supporting vulnerable children through comprehensive medical and community interventions.
A Calling to Protect the Vulnerable
For Dr. Adewusi, child abuse prevention is more than a professional mandate—it’s a deeply personal mission rooted in a fundamental belief that every child deserves safety, dignity, and the opportunity to thrive.
Born in Nigeria, she moved to Texas at the age of eight and went on to get her medical degree at the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio. From there, she completed her Internship and Residency training at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA. After completing a Child Abuse Fellowship at Brown University in Rhode Island, Bimpe moved to the Pacific Northwest and started working for CARES Northwest in 2017.
Dr. Adewusi assumed a leadership role at CARES Northwest during the COVID pandemic and accepted the Medical Director role in 2021. During this time, she has helped transform the organization’s approach to identifying, preventing, and addressing child abuse through innovative medical and community-based strategies.
Comprehensive Approach to Child Protection
Dr. Adewusi’s work in child abuse prevention is characterized by a holistic, multidisciplinary approach. Her comprehensive strategy encompasses two critical areas:
- Medical Screening and Intervention Drawing from her extensive background in pediatric medicine, Dr. Adewusi has developed robust screening protocols that enable healthcare providers to identify potential signs of child abuse early. She helped develop a training program that equips medical staff with the skills to:
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- Recognize subtle physical and behavioral indicators of abuse
- Conduct sensitive, child-centered medical examinations
- Document findings with medical forensic precision
- Collaborate effectively with child protective services
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration Understanding that child protection requires a network of support, Dr. Adewusi has been instrumental in ensuring seamless collaboration between:
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- Medical professionals
- School counselors
- Child protective services
- Local law enforcement
- Mental health specialists
This integrated approach ensures that children receive comprehensive support, with each system working in concert to protect and heal.
Personal Motivation and Interests
Dr. Adewusi often speaks about the profound responsibility healthcare professionals have in protecting children. “Every interaction is an opportunity to make a difference,” she explains. “Our role is not just to treat injuries or symptoms, but to create a safety net that catches children before they fall through the cracks and prevent abuse if we can.”
Bimpe is a dedicated mentor, often speaking to inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals and leading comprehensive training sessions to help child health providers build and sharpen clinical skills in child physical abuse identification and reporting.
Due to the emotional and challenging nature of her work, she is finding joy in other avenues which includes some improv, and her social media accounts ‘sleepyratingscale’ where she and another physician rate entertainment shows based on how sleepy they will make you. In her free time, she spends time with her family, cares for her daughter with special needs, and does advocacy work including her recent testimony for Oregon Senate Bill 1565 about paid family caregivers for children with severe disabilities or medical complexities.
Awards and Recognition
Her work has been recognized through notable awards:
- Oregon Attorney General’s Trafficking Intervention Advisory Committee’s award for going Above and Beyond (2024).
- Dr. John Paisley Award for excellence in a pediatric subspecialty (2023).
Looking Forward
As CARES Northwest continues to grow and evolve, Dr. Adebimpe Adewusi remains committed to her vision of a community where children are protected, supported, and given the opportunity to heal and thrive.
Her journey exemplifies the profound impact one dedicated professional can have. By combining medical expertise, technological innovation, and genuine compassion, she is not just treating patients—she is building healthier, more equitable communities. Keep up the great work Dr. Adewusi!
Get Involved
Dr. Adewusi invites pediatricians and medical professionals to access the wide array of resources available on the CARES Northwest website, including prevention programs and educational materials. There are also a variety of volunteer opportunities available, and they are always particularly in need of waiting room attendants.
