Governor Paterson Announces $1.17 Million In Grants To Help Protect New York Children

Grants Will Help Fund Investigations and Victim Services

April 18, 2008 -- New York Governor Paterson today announced $1.17 million in grants to provide communities with increased resources to improve child safety – allowing more thorough investigation and prosecution of child abuse, neglect and maltreatment cases and enhancing victim services. The grants, 12 in total to organizations in various counties across New York State, reinforce the Governor’s commitment to ensuring the health, safety and well-being of New York’s children.

“Protecting our children from harm is paramount,” said Governor Paterson. “These grants will help communities establish the proper child safety infrastructure that will act in the best interest of children who can’t defend themselves from neglect or abuse. It is essential that children have the help that they need as soon as possible and this funding will help make that happen.”

The grants – distributed by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) –will be used to establish or enhance Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs) and Child Fatality Review Teams (CFRTs) as well as help create or develop Child Advocacy Center (CAC) projects. MDTs bring together several disciplines to augment the teams’ ability to investigate, prosecute and manage cases of child abuse and neglect – particularly physical abuse, sexual abuse, and other violence directed at children.

CFRTs consist of representatives from various professional institutions including social services, local and state police agencies, the District Attorney's office, the county health department and OCFS. Their primary role is to review child deaths reported to the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment, child deaths while in foster care and the death of any child for whom there is an open child protective services or preventive services case.

Senator Carl Kruger, Chair of the Senate’s Social Services, Children and Families Committee, said: “These grants are greatly welcomed and will give at-risk children and their families the community-based resources they need to give them the best chance possible for a stable and successful future.”

Assemblyman William Scarborough, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Children and Families, said: “I’m very pleased that OCFS is providing these funding opportunities. Every effort to protect the children of the state of New York is worthy and necessary, and I strongly support this initiative.”

Gladys Carrion, Commissioner of the Office of Children and Family Services, said: “These grants will improve coordination among law enforcement, child protective services, health care and other community agencies involved in child abuse investigations and the protection of abused and neglected children. Coordinated approaches to services and investigations get help to victimized children and their families more quickly, and avoid putting children through the added trauma of multiple interviews.”

A total of $1,172,944 was awarded to recipients as follows:

Start-up MDT/CAC Programs ($592,775):

Clinton County District Attorney’s Office, $149,665
Mental Health Association in Fulton and Montgomery Counties, $150,000
Ulster County Department of Social Services, $143,110
Young Women’s Christian Association of Cortland County, $150,000

Enhancement of MDT/CAC Programs ($235,848):

Bivona Child Advocacy Center (Monroe County), $50,000
Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office, $50,000
Putnam County Department of Social Services, $47,250
Safe Horizon, Jane Barker Brooklyn CAC (Kings County), $44,500
Safe Horizon, Manhattan CAC (New York County), $44,098

Start-up CFRT Projects ($294,571):

Broome County Health Department, $182,168
START Children’s Center (Rensselaer County), $112,403

Enhancement of CFRTs ($49,750):

Chemung County Department of Social Services, $49,750

Source: New York Governor

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