Beshear Awards Nearly $17,000 to Fund Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education in Western Kentucky
Child Watch Counseling and Advocacy Center will train 12,000 preschool, elementary children in schools
PADUCAH, Ky. (July 24, 2018) – Attorney General Andy Beshear today presented nearly $17,000 to fund Western Kentucky’s nonprofit curriculum that delivers sexual abuse prevention education to preschool and elementary school-aged children in schools.
Child Watch Counseling and Advocacy Center received $16,640 in funding for its “Safety Tools and Golden Rules” program. Primary topics covered are body safety, abuse prevention and internet safety.
The funding will provide training to more than 12,000 children in Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Marshall and McCracken counties and 300 campers of the Kentucky Sheriffs’ Boys and Girls Ranch.
“It is a privilege to be able to recognize and support a program that works to keep Kentucky’s children safe,” Beshear said. “I want to thank the leadership team and staff at Child Watch for working tirelessly to protect our children from abuse.”
Beshear was joined by Child Watch Counseling and Advocacy Center Executive Director Janie Criner; Paducah Independent Schools Assistant Superintendent Will Black; and Danny Orazine, Child Watch volunteer and former McCracken County Judge-Executive.
“This Child Victims’ Trust Fund grant will have a tremendous impact on the scope of our program,” Criner said. “At Child Watch we firmly believe that abuse prevention education in schools is critical to the safety and well-being of children in our community. We are extremely grateful that Attorney General Beshear and the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board share this conviction and recognize the value of our curriculum.”
“On behalf of Child Watch it is my pleasure to thank Attorney General Andy Beshear for this funding,” said Orazine. “This award sponsors a very valued service that provides help, care and prevention of abuse for children in our community.”
The Attorney General’s Office of Child Abuse and Human Trafficking Prevention and Prosecution administers the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board, which allocates funds from the Child Victims’ Trust Fund to support child abuse prevention programs.
“I applaud the members of the board for supporting and investing in these worthy programs, and invite Kentuckians to help us combat child abuse by making a donation to the trust fund,” said Beshear.
A donation to the Child Victims’ Trust Fund can be made in three ways:
- Through a private donation directly to the fund.
- 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
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 or 877-KYSAFE1.