Jan 02, 2019 — Three counties in the North Country will receive new mobile child advocacy centers.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the state will channel $4.5 million dollars of federal money to rural communities to fund this project. The counties of St. Lawrence, Hamilton and Franklin will each receive $250,000 to purchase new mobile centers.
These mobile units act as an intersection for all resources relating to child abuse. Child protective services, law enforcement, medical providers, advocacy and therapeutic resources all located in a single place – and on wheels.
Elizabeth Cronin is the director of the state’s Office of Victim Services. She says families benefit from having all services in one space.
“All the players who are involved in working with children who have been abused come together, make decisions about how they are going to approach this child and what kind of services the child and the family are going to need and then provide these services,” Cronin said.
These centers will be equipped to conduct forensic interviews, medical exams, and psychological assessments of children.
Cronin says that making these centers mobile solves some of the needs of these counties. Large geographic areas to cover and not-so-great public transportation make acces to services difficult for rural populations. This model helps people who couldn’t otherwise access them.
“So instead of spending two hours in a car, this mobile unit is going to go to where it is a safe place for the child, and it will make it easier for the family,” Cronin said.
The state says that the goal for the centers in these communities is to reduce trauma for the families by increasing accessibility to services. Each mobile center will have a waiting area, a child-friendly interview room, an observation room, bathrooms, as well as recording and observation equipment.
Apart from the initial $250,000 in funding for these mobile centers, each county will receive $50,000 per year for three years to cover the costs of operation and maintenance. According to the state, child advocacy centers currently in operation serve more than 21,000 children each year.
The state does not yet have a timeline for when these mobile centers will open.