The West Virginia Child Advocacy Network (WVCAN) recently released its Statewide Data for the 2024 fiscal year, showcasing the work of the state’s 21 Child Advocacy Centers (CACs). These centers provided services to 47 out of 55 counties in West Virginia, serving a total of 4,909 children, with an 8% increase in new children served over the last five years.
One of the highlighted CACs, the North Star Child Advocacy Center (NSCAC), reported some key statistics from their 2023-2024 report. This included a breakdown of the types of abuse allegations, ages of children served, relationship to alleged offenders, and the number of cases with charges filed.
Greg Collins, executive director of NSCAC, emphasized the importance of these statistics in understanding the impact of child abuse in the community and making necessary adjustments to better serve the children. He also noted the challenges faced by the staff in dealing with difficult cases and praised the collaborative effort of CPS, law enforcement, and prosecutors in fighting for the rights of these vulnerable children.
Looking towards the future, Collins expressed concerns about potential cuts in federal grant funding and highlighted the community support that has helped sustain NSCAC. Despite challenges, NSCAC remains committed to providing comprehensive, compassionate services to victims of child abuse and is grateful for the ongoing support from foundations, local governments, and donors.
Through their work, WVCAN and CACs across West Virginia aim to empower local communities to address child abuse through a multidisciplinary, child-centered approach, ultimately working towards a safer and more supportive environment for children in need.
Source
Photo credit www.newsandsentinel.com