SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 81

(By Senators Guills, Barnes and Hunter)


Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the criteria necessary for recognition as a child advocacy center and as a member of the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network.

Whereas, Child advocacy centers are a national response to the need for coordination and child-friendly facilities in which multidisciplinary teams improve safety for children in communities; and
Whereas, The first child advocacy center began 23 years ago in Huntsville, Alabama, and there are over 600 child advocacy centers in the United States; and
Whereas, The purpose of a child advocacy center is to provide a comprehensive, culturally competent, multidisciplinary response to allegations of child abuse; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Child Advocacy Network comprises 16 established and/or developing child advocacy centers in 21 West Virginia counties; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Child Advocacy Network develops plans for growth, sustainability, policy and system advocacy; and
Whereas, Coordination of child advocacy centers is vital to strengthen the multidisciplinary team process of the child advocacy model; and
Whereas, The distinction between multidisciplinary investigative and multidisciplinary treatment teams allows for disconnection and fragmentation of the response to child abuse at the local level; and
Whereas, West Virginia currently provides for a system supporting multidisciplinary teams to coordinate service delivery for children who may be the victims of abuse or neglect; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study the criteria necessary for recognition as a child advocacy center and as a member of the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance consult with various individuals with expertise in the child advocacy industry, representatives from the business and labor communities and any other individual or group the committee finds necessary for the development of a plan to address this issue; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2007, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.