MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded $419,214 to ensure that young victims of physical or sexual abuse in Cullman County have access to free medical, social and legal care.
The Cullman County Child Advocacy Center will use the grant to continue helping children recover from abuse and to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those responsible for the abuse are prosecuted.
“Children are the future, and we must always protect them,” Ivey said. “I am thankful for programs like the Cullman County Child Advocacy Center that restore lives and families and help to put the offenders behind bars”
The Cullman Child Advocacy Center involves a team of medical, social, law enforcement and legal experts to help children through their ordeals. Victims are exposed to limited forensic interviews and less trauma through a special setup where medical experts, law enforcement and prosecutors can witness the interview through closed-circuit television monitoring.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Gov. Ivey and ADECA are committed to helping young victims receive the services and guidance they need to recover from abuse,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said.
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.
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