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Morehead to host child abuse prevention training sessions

Kentucky.gov

Attorney General Andy Beshear, the Kentucky Association of Children’s Advocacy Centers and Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky today announced upcoming child sexual abuse prevention trainings in Morehead for organizations that serve children.

The April 5 trainings at the Rowan Public Library, 175 Beacon Hill Drive, focus on helping daycares, summer camps, churches and other youth-serving organizations evaluate their programs and offer strategies to strengthen protocols and policies to safeguard children from sexual abuse.

There will be two trainings at the library April 5 – one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Those interested in the trainings may pre-register.

“Across the country every year, approximately 35 million adults in youth-serving organizations come into contact with more than 70 million children and teens,” Beshear said. “Through this training in Morehead we are providing support to many organizations in the state that are working hard to create and maintain a safe place for children, employees and volunteers.”

Staff from the AG’s Office and Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky will provide the training. 

Jill Seyfred, executive director of Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, said the organization will continue to partner with Beshear to protect children.

“The training will help us move the needle one tick closer to achieving our ultimate goal of ensuring our children are safe; not only in their own homes, but at school, summer camps and everyplace they go,” said Seyfred.

As a training partner, the Kentucky Association of Children’s Advocacy Centers will host trainings at advocacy centers across the state.

“Youth serving organizations are poised to serve as a first line of defense in the battle against child sexual abuse, said Executive Director Caroline Ruschell. “By implementing the right strategies, these organizations can create an environment that fosters open dialogue and reduces opportunities for an act of abuse to occur.”

The Office of the Attorney General’s Child Victims’ Trust Fund (CVTF), administered by the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board (Board), is providing the funding for the trainings. The board also approves annual grants from the CVTF to support child abuse prevention programs.

Last year, the board sponsored statewide trainings for law enforcement, prosecutors, social workers, community advocates, religious affiliates, parents and educators on how to protect children from predators.

Beshear said the new trainings are a critical next step in protecting Kentucky’s children – one that allows his office to provide youth-serving organizations information from the risk reduction handbook that Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky developed with the assistance of a CVTF grant.

Beshear said supporting the CVTF is a direct investment in our children and encouraged others to consider making a donation, which can be made in three ways:

•         Through a private donation directly to the CVTF.

•         Purchase of an “I Care About Kids” license plate at your county   clerk’s office.

•         Donations made through the state income tax refund check-off program.

Beshear reminds Kentuckians that everyone has a moral and legal duty to report any instance of child abuse to local law enforcement or to Kentucky’s Child Abuse hotline at 877-597-2331.

(provided by Office of the Attorney General)

Paul Hitchcock earned his Masters in Communications from Morehead State University and Bachelors in Radio-TV/Psychology from Georgetown College. A veteran broadcaster for more than 40 years and an avid fan of blues, jazz and American roots music. Hitchcock has been with WMKY since 1986 and was named General Manager in 2003. He currently hosts "Muddy Bottom Blues" (Fri., 8pm-9pm), "Nothin' But The Blues" (Sat., 8pm-12am), "Sunday Night Jazz Showcase" and "Live From The Jazz Lounge" (Sun., 8pm-9pm) and "The Golden Age of Radio" (Sun., 2pm-3pm). He also serves as producer for "A Time For Tales" and "The Reader's Notebook."
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