As many as 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 5 boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday.
A nationally accredited Center, devoted to providing hope and healing to these abused children in Columbia and Greene Counties opened at its new home in October.
The Dr. Stephen & Suzanne Menkes Child Advocacy Center (CAC) provides a child- friendly, safe environment to reduce trauma, provide expert medical care, and enhance collaboration among organizations in the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse. Victim advocates in law enforcement, social services, prosecutors, medical
specialists, and mental health providers now work together under one roof to serve hundreds of abused children each year. Columbia Memorial Hospital is the lead agency in this effort.
Only days after the opening, the CAC received its national accreditation by the National Children's Alliance, a professional membership organization dedicated to helping local communities respond to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient - and put the needs of the child
victims first.
The Center provides a child-friendly setting where the team investigates serious abuse allegations, conducts forensic interviews, and provides therapy and victim assistance services - always keeping the best interest of the child in mind. The new Center, located at 2A Milo Street in Hudson, New York, is brightly decorated and painted in child friendly colors. Colorful quilts and artwork adorn the walls and stuffed toys are placed in every available corner.
In his remarks at the opening, Dr. Stephen Menkes, a key donor to the Center, talked about the "moral obligation we have as a society to provide support to the innocent victims of the social scourge of sexual abuse."
His comments were echoed by Terry J. Wilhelm, Greene County District Attorney,
and Anne M. Schomaker, President of the CAC's Friends Board in their remarks to a packed crowd of police, social service, and Columbia Memorial Hospital staff.
Wilhelm cited cases where collaborative investigations at the Center have resulted in prosecutions in a number of cases. And, because victim advocates come to the CAC for critical interviews, the child need only describe the horrors of their situation to investigators once.
Donors make a difference
In her remarks, Schomaker reached out to the community for support.
"Since funding for the Center is now impacted by state funding cuts, donations are key to the survival of the Center," she said.
If you are interested in making a difference in the life of a child who is a victim of abuse and neglect, a gift of $1,000 will
provide a year of advocacy services and counseling to a child and their non-offending care givers. All gifts, large and small, help children have a safe future filled with hope. If you know of any child or family who might need this valuable service, or to make a donation, please call the Child Advocacy Center at 518.697.3320.
