Athens County Child Advocacy Center opens new location
By Erin Nash
September 18, 2009September 17, 2009 – ATHENS, OHIO - The Athens County Child Advocacy Center (CAC) announces the official grand opening of its new office and programmatic space at 444 West Union Street, Suite B, in Athens. The CAC will be celebrating with an Open House on Thursday, September 24, 2009 from 4pm to 6pm. The community is invited to stop in to see the new space, learn about the services the CAC offers, and enjoy light refreshments.
The CAC’s new programmatic space will serve as a child-friendly and centralized location for interviewing and examining children who are victims of sexual abuse, helping to better coordinate local services and diminish the trauma on the child. The CAC will also now be able to conduct medical exams on-site, which is a new service for the area.
“Our goal is to minimize the stress for the child and family and maximize the quality of the investigation,” says Jenny Byers, Board President. “By bundling services in one location, we can better assist victims and their families in obtaining immediate help, remaining engaged in the treatment process, and going to prosecution.”
The CAC provides services for child sexual abuse victims and their families in a child-friendly environment. Children are interviewed by specially-trained forensic interviewers, and the cases managed by a multidisciplinary team of Athens County Children’s Services, Athens County prosecutors, local law enforcement officers, mental health workers, victim advocates, and medical professionals from O’Bleness Hospital.
The CAC also provides community education, training and outreach.
The new space was made possible by a $30,000 grant from The National Children’s Alliance in Washington, DC, and a $17,650 grant from The Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Fund in Parkersburg, WV. In addition, O’Bleness Memorial Hospital was integral to the development of the new space, providing the space itself at a severely discounted rate, as well as donating the time of Dr. Lenard G. Presutti, D.O. FAAFP to conduct on-site medical exams. Other participating agencies contributing personnel and services include Athens County Children Services, the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office, Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling Services, Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Athens Police Department, and the Athens CASA/GAL Program.
For more information on the CAC or the Open House, or to request training for your group, church or organization, please contact the CAC at (740) 566-4847.
