Programs
All programs and services are provided free of charge to child abuse victims and non-offending caretakers. Funding to implement all services are provided through grants, funding sources, fundraisers and individual, business and corporate donations.
Hospital Advocacy: Victim Advocates also provide crisis counseling, information, support and referral services to child abuse victims in hospital emergency rooms. You can ask Hospital Staff to contact the Child Watch CAC for a victim advocate.
Child sexual abuse and exploitation knows no cultural, socio-economic, geographic or other boundaries. Child tragedies can unfortunately happen in any neighborhood. If you know or have reasonable cause to believe that a child is being abused or neglected – you have a duty to report –it’s the law!!
KRS 620.030 Duty to report dependency, neglect or abuse.
Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is dependent neglected or abused shall immediately cause an oral or written report to be made to a local law enforcement agency or the Kentucky State Police; the Cabinet or its designated representative; the Commonwealth Attorney or the County Attorney.
REPORTING CHILD ABUSE
To Report Child Abuse, Neglect, Dependency Call:
Local Law Enforcement Agency
Kentucky State Police
Department for Community Based Services
Commonwealth Attorney
County Attorney
STATEWIDE: CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-752-6200
EMERGENCY/MEDICAL: 911
Anyone acting upon reasonable cause in the making of a report or acting under KRS. 620.030 or 620.050 in good faith shall have immunity from any liability; civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed.
A person who reports suspected child sexual abuse does not have to disclose his/her identity.
KRS 620.020 (4): "Children's advocacy center" means an agency that advocates on behalf of children alleged to have been abused; that assists in the coordination of the investigation of child abuse by providing a location for forensic interviews and medical examinations and by promoting the coordination of services for children alleged to have been abused and that provides, directly or by formalized agreements, services that include, but are not limited to, forensic interviews, medical examination, mental health and related support services, court advocacy, consultation, training and staffing of multidisciplinary teams.
 The CASA Program is an innovative program initiated by Superior Court Judge David W. Soukup in 1977. The CASA Project of McCracken was established in 1988 under the umbrella of the Child Watch Children's Advocacy Center. The CASA Program is a member of Kentucky CASA, Inc., and the National CASA Association.
CASA volunteers work for the Family Court Judge as a fact finder, talking with all those involved in the case, gathering relevant facts and reporting them back to the court; a facilitator, assuring that those services to which a child is entitled are available to him; a monitor, being aware of all court orders and making certain those involved with the case are in compliance; and most importantly, an advocate, voicing their belief on what is in the child's "best interest".
Child Abuse Prevention Education Programs are taught by CAC Staff and trained Volunteers throughout the Purchase Area. Each year education programs are scheduled in daycares, preschools and elementary schools; programs are also available for middle schools, high schools and colleges when requested.
Each summer Child Abuse Prevention Programs are taught at the Kentucky Sheriff’s Boys and Girls Ranch reaching over 800 children throughout the state of Kentucky.
CHILDREN LEARN SAFETY RULES:
1. Say “NO”!
2. Get Away….
3. Tell Someone…. AND
4. Keep Telling (Until Someone Believes You!)
“Children must have at least one person who believes in them. It could be a counselor, teacher, a preacher, a friend. It could be you. You never know when a little love, a little support, will plant a small seed of hope”. -Marian Wright Edelman
The Child Watch Children’s Advocacy Center provides comprehensive medical examinations to child sexual abuse victims. All physicians have specialized medical training; and will provide a wellness exam as well as an exam to determine if the child needs medical treatment.
A qualified mental health therapist will conduct a mental health screening on the same day as the exam.
A child sexual abuse medical examination can be a critical asset to the overall investigation and the potential health needs of child sexual abuse victims.
The Child Watch CAC participates in community awareness events and activities throughout the year to bring awareness to the attention of the public regarding child abuse and child abuse prevention efforts.
Child Watch Children’s Advocacy Center offers a warm, home-like setting, to provide a wide range of mental health services for child abuse victims and their non-offending caretaker. The following services are based on the age and developmental level of the child: mental health screenings, comprehensive mental health assessments, short-term stabilization and therapeutic support, individual counseling and play therapy, non-offending parent support. Referrals are accepted by the Social Services, law enforcement, prosecutors, and other children’s agencies and organizations.
The Child Watch CAC facilitates child sensitive investigative interviews by providing child-friendly interview rooms for use by law enforcement and social workers. The Child Watch CAC has a professionally trained forensic interviewer on staff at the CAC.
The interviewing rooms are designed with specialized equipment that will allow members of the investigative team to observe the interviews as they are occurring. This coordinated approach will reduce the number of interviews, facilitate efficient gathering and sharing of all information critical to the case, broaden the knowledge base by including information from several agencies, and improve communication among agencies.
“A good interview is probably the single most important part of the investigation and will serve in almost all cases as the basis for evaluating the child’s credibility and the reliability of the abuse report.” - National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse
Victim Advocates begin working with child abuse victims and their families as soon as they are referred to the CAC.
Each child and non-offending caretaker entering the center are informed and assisted with Crime Victim’s Compensation Claim forms.
The “Kids In Court” Program informs the child and family about the court process; and teaches them about the court system with age appropriate educational materials. If the alleged offender is found guilty or a plea is accepted, the victim advocate helps the child and family with victim impact statements. The child and family are provided with support throughout the trial process.
The “Kids In Court” Program teaches children the 3 most important rules to follow:
1. ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH
2. ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH
3. ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH
The Multidisciplinary Team approach is used to monitor child sexual abuse cases and bring the combined wisdom, professional knowledge, skills and resources of team members together resulting in a more complete understanding of case issues and the most effective child-focused system response.
In April 1988, the Child Watch CAC, adopted the McCracken County Multidisciplinary Team as a program area of Child Watch.
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Child Abuse Prevention Education Program:
Counseling/Therapy Programs: