By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
April is all about Child Abuse awareness in Tucker County, with the month being designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month by both the Tucker County Commission and the City of Parsons. The Tucker County Commission also approved a funding request by the Randolph-Tucker Child Advocacy Center for $27,000.
The City of Parsons Council adopted the proclamation at the Council’s regular April 2nd meeting. The Tucker County Commission adopted the proclamation at the Commission’s April 10th meeting. Margo Evick of the Randolph-Tucker Child Advocacy Center was on hand at both meetings with April Miller from the Tucker County Family Support Center on hand during the Commission meeting.
Evick was on hand during the Parsons meeting to receive the proclamation and thank the Council. At the Commission meeting, Evick presented the organization’s annual report on the Center’s efforts. “Today I am just here to present our annual report so numbers from last year,” Evick said.
According to Evick, the Center saw 154 new children walk through their doors in Randolph and Tucker Counties. The Center, according to Evick, assists children who are victims of alleged sexual abuse, physical abuse, drug endangerment and witnesses to violence, among other issues. “Anything you can think of and not think of – because I don’t want you to have to think of it – that can happen to a child, we see it,” Evick said.
The Center’s Advocate provided 998 Advocacy Services on average every six months to 499 caregivers, according to Evick. According to Evick the Center provides contacts to address client needs through phone calls, in person in the offices, attending medical appointments, attending court appearances, linking individuals with therapy services and assisting with transportation issues to attend therapy services, as well as food and housing needs or utility needs. “These advocacy contacts with families during the year are connections ensuring that they receive the support that they need.”
Of the cases seen by the Center, 40 of the children were referred for trauma and mental health services and 17 received a required medical examination, according to Evick. “So 40 of those children that we saw in our office were referred for trauma and mental health services, which we know as soon as a trauma happens, the faster we can get them in, the better,” Evick said. “17 of the children, received that medical examination, that was required because they disclosed sexual abuse penetration or there was physical abuse. There were marks on their bodies that had to be checked out, lots of reasons.”
Evick said the Center saw 25 cases with charges filed, 21 indictments, 2 offenders convicted by trial and 12 by plea, with “a lot” in Tucker County. Evick said the conviction rate was 2.39, which is well above the statewide average. Evick acknowledged that the number seems low. “Which that seems low, but the statewide average is .58,” Evick said. “So we are well above what the State of West Virginia is doing in child abuse cases.”
Evick also stated that the Center has been working in an awareness program that includes an advertisement at the Elkins Cinema and a second step curriculum for child body safety called Child Protection Unit in schools. In total, according to Evick, 709 children received the body safety curriculum. The curriculum is held in every pre-K, Kindergarten and elementary school, according to Evick. Evick said the course has also been expanded to the Montessori School and the Center is working on expanding the course into area church programs, as well. Evick said the Center had also expanded the education program to Elkins Middle School, with plans to expand into Tucker County Middle Schools this year. “We also spent three day at the Elkins Middle School doing the curriculum last year,” Evick said. “And I am hoping that I will get to Tucker County this year.”
The Commission said they would like to see the program expanded into the private schools in Tucker County, as well. Evick said the Center would like to expand the education program to as many schools as possible. “They have a private school on the mountain, too, maybe you could reach out to,” Tucker County Commission President Mike Rosenau said. “I’m not sure how their curriculum works, but it may be something to check on.”
According to Evick, the Center also provides an adult education course to instruct adults on what to do, how to respond, react and report abuse appropriately. “Our sexual abuse prevention programming for adults to learn what to do, how to respond, react and report appropriately, that’s Stewards of Children,” Evick said. “I was able to train 36 adults last year.”
Evick had previously submitted a $27,000 funding request to the County Commission for consideration on behalf of the Center. According to Evick, the federal grant that had supplied a majority of the Center’s funding had been cut by 20% this year and is anticipated to be cut 40% next year. Evick said the state has stepped in to assist with the shortfall, but funding is not stable. ”Its just not being fixed the way they thought it was going to be affected,” Evick said. “We were expecting a fix over the last three years and the State of West Virginia has stepped up and has been filling that gap. We have to prepare for that not to be, its just not a stable source of funding anymore.”
According to Commission President Rosenau, the Commission was able to approve the request using Opioid settlement funds. The request had been tabled until this meeting to allow the Commission to examine the County finances and regulations associated with the new Opioid Settlement funds. However, the request was only approved for this year alone. The uncertainty of future funding support stems from lower future payments anticipated from the Opioid Settlement Fund. “I had to do some investigation to make sure it was covered,” Rosenau said. “So, it is covered so we can draw from those funds to support a one-time thing. We can’t guarantee this, I want to make sure that is clear, because we have the funds available now that can support the Child Advocacy Center.”
During the meeting, the Commission approved a resolution to transfer the funds from the Opioid Settlement for the funding request from the Child Advocacy Center. The resolution was read into the record by Rosenau. A motion on both the approval of the request and the resolution for funding transfer were made by Rosenau and unanimously approved by the Commissioners.
“This Commission is 100% for kids,” Rosenau said.
The next meeting of the Tucker County Commission will be held Wednesday, April 24th at 4 p.m. at the Tucker County Courthouse Old Courtroom.
