MONTGOMERY– Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded a $49,835 grant to help victims of child abuse in Butler, Crenshaw and Lowndes counties.
The grant to the Butler County Children’s Advocacy Center, also known as Safe Harbor, will assist child victims and family members and caregivers not involved in the abuse. The center offers forensic interviews to assist with investigations and counseling in a safe environment.
“It is a tragedy that any child has to deal with abuse, and they deserve access to free, professional assistance to begin recovering,” Bentley said. “I commend the Safe Harbor staff for the support and care they provide to victims of this terrible crime.”
The model for children’s advocacy centers began in Huntsville and is designed to provide a safe place for children to tell their stories. The interviews can be recorded, alleviating the need for a child to recall the events of the abuse multiple times at various agencies.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice. ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation.
“The thought of anything bad happening to your child is horrifying, but professional assistance can help children and their families take the first steps to recovery from abuse,” ADECA Director Jim Byard Jr. said. “ADECA partners with Safe Harbor and similar agencies throughout the state to ensure such assistance is available to survivors of abuse.”
Along with grants, the agency relies on local, private donations to ensure services remain available to victims.
Bentley notified Glenn Cooper, the center’s board president, that the grant had been approved.
For more information on children’s advocacy centers, see this video ADECA produced for Child Abuse Awareness Month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2AQjmQ3ZD8.
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Contact: Josh Carples; Mike Presley