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.