Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded two grants totaling $287,291 to help non-profit organizations in south Alabama that will fund a variety of services to assist victims in Escambia, Conecuh, Monroe, Choctaw, Clarke and Washington counties.
The Escambia County Regional Child Advocacy Center will use a $128,891 grant to continue serving victims and their families in Escambia, Conecuh and Monroe counties.
The center provides counseling, assistance navigating the criminal justice system and other services. Matching funds of $32,222 will supplement the grant.
“The grant money is from victim assistance money, the umbrella under which it is administered is the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA),” said Stephanie Myrick, executive director of Escambia County Regional Child Advocacy Center. “We fall under the law enforcement and traffic safety division, through ADECA's administration of monies. It's part of the crime victims assistant funding from federal government. Our grant project is child advocacy so it's awarded to us.
Myrick said the money is given to at the federal, then the state, which is ADECA.
“We apply to the correct division,” she said. “Our job is to conduct interviews and conduct forensic interviews, providing victim advocacy, we are able to strengthen investigations and collaborate with
Myrick said the child advocacy center makes referrals for counseling, therapy and follow up services. There is a victim advocate who helps coordinate, make referrals, and whatever needs to be done. Children age 3 to 17 in Conecuh, Monroe and Escambia Counties coordinate with DHRs in each one. Social workers come to Brewon, child comes, law enforcement comes to participate in the process.
She said grant funding has become so competitive, they always seek other financial resources, seeking additonal funding in addition to what they receive from ADECA.
In addition, the Alabama Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (ANCAC) announced that their two legislative initiatives passed overwhelmingly on the closing days of the 2019 regular legislative session.
House Bill (HB31) and HB79 by Representatives Reynolds, Robertson and Stringer, and Senator Givhan both achieved final passage on the final two days of the session and were subsequently signed into law by Ivey.
HB31 defines ‘forensic interview’ and provides that statements made during a forensic interview by a child be admitted as evidence in dependency court proceedings.
This will minimize the trauma for children who previously would have had to testify in these proceedings.
HB79 expands and updates the requirements for full membership in the Alabama Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers, assuring that children and families receiving services through one of the 35 Children’s Advocacy Centers in Alabama are receiving high quality services.
The ANCAC members coordinate the multidisciplinary response to child abuse in communities throughout Alabama working in close partnership with law enforcement, Department of Human Resources, prosecutors, medical, mental health, and victim advocates.
This model, started by former Congressman Bud Cramer in 1985 here in Alabama, has been replicated in more than 950 communities throughout the United States and in more than 30 countries throughout the world.
