Children are the most vulnerable people in every community. When children are maltreated (abused or neglected) they and their non-offending caregivers need assistance and services adequate and appropriate for child victims. In a state as large as New Mexico, those services can be hard to find in rural areas, and when they do exist they are often overwhelmed. Counties throughout the state vary in rates of child maltreatment and availability of services. One county struggling to respond effectively to high rates of child abuse and neglect is Valencia County.
All children in New Mexico deserve protection and advocacy, and counties with high rates of child maltreatment, such as Valencia County, need services within their community. Need for services for abused and neglected children and collaboration for agencies and professionals in counties like Valencia led to executive order 2014-003 signed by Governor Martinez in April. The order sets the stage for a Child Advocacy Center in Valencia County to foster collaboration and cooperation between agencies, law enforcement, and service providers.
Approximately twenty-four miles south of Albuquerque, Los Lunas, the Valencia County seat, has significantly fewer services and resources for children and caregivers then Albuquerque. Yet it has individuals, agencies and law enforcement doing what they can to help all children in the community. With one of the highest rates of substantiated child abuse and neglect in New Mexico, Valencia does not have the level of child specific services necessary to respond adequately. Relying on access to services and resources in Albuquerque is difficult, expensive, and can add to stress for law enforcement and others, as well as trauma for the children they are trying to serve.
The 2012 rate of substantiated child abuse for Valencia County was a distressing 28 children per 1,000 compared to the State's rate of 11.4, Bernalillo’s 8.8 and Sandoval’s 7.5.[1] In fiscal year (FY) 2013 there were 282 substantiated child abuse and neglect reports involving 562 child victims in Valencia County.[2]
Situations Endangering Children
The situations of caregivers impact children and abuse and neglect rates. One of the most significant concerns for law enforcement and other agencies trying to protect and help children in Valencia County is drugs and drug abuse. Of maltreated children in New Mexico in FY 2012, 24.3% were in a situation with a domestically violent caregiver, while caregivers for 39.2% of the child victims abused alcohol. A drug abusing caregiver was a risk factor for 62.6% of victims. When compared to the national of 20%, this factor is even more distinct. Drug abuse and drug-related crime and activity in a household or in a caregiver’s life greatly impacts children. The maltreatment rates are significant for children with drug-involved caregivers, and the behavior and situations endanger children.
An additional concern is the danger for children and law enforcement officers when officers respond to drug situations and related crime. Children with parents, caregivers, families and homes involved in drug abuse and drug-related crime are endangered. When responding to drug-related situations, law enforcement can find it difficult to fulfill their mission and protect themselves and children when immediate advocacy and assistance for the children is unavailable. Increased coordination and systemic response and advocacy for children in situations involving drugs and drug-related crime would decrease danger, stress, and trauma for children, while allowing law enforcement to focus on their duty.
Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) Model
Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) are intended to ensure abused and neglected children are not further traumatized by the systems meant to intervene and protect them. The fundamental component of a CAC is a child-centered coordination of authorities, agencies, and professionals designed for the community it operates in for intervention on behalf of abused and neglected children. This is done through a dedicated place focused on children where law enforcement, child protection officials, health workers, and others collaborate in investigating, substantiating, and responding to maltreatment, recovery, and the needs of children.
A CAC depends on a collaborative, effective multidisciplinary team (MDT) comprised of professionals from many disciplines striving for a comprehensive response to child abuse and neglect starting at the initial report. The major disciplines involved are law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, medical, mental health, victim advocate, and dedicated CAC staff. Victim support is a critical component to improve outcomes and reduce trauma for the children. Medical, mental health, and forensic interview processes should all be appropriate for dealing with children and their unique needs. The center itself, and the approach of all involved, should be child-focused. Each CAC is unique to the community it serves, but all meet National Children’s Alliance standards for accreditation.
Valencia County Advocacy
New Mexico is under the Western Regional Child Advocacy Center (WRCAC) in Colorado Springs, which has three primary objectives: development of CACs and MDTs, training and technical assistance, and public awareness and education. It is hoped that the CAC model in Valencia County would provide a single place for services, while also increasing coordination and collaboration between all agencies involved. It would be a place where victims and their non-offending caregivers and families could meet with investigators, law enforcement, legal representatives, victim advocates, and health providers all in one safe, child-focused location. Children would no longer have the added trauma and confusion of questioning from multiple people in multiple locations. Their families and caregivers would not have to drive or find transportation into Albuquerque to seek any of these services.
There are challenges for developing a Valencia County CAC. An agreement that allows each authority, agency, and professional to operate within the policies and laws of their role while sharing information ensures that children will be able to recover in safety. This level of agreement is complex in a large rural county with many official jurisdictions. Another great challenge is localizing services and finding professionals who can work in Valencia County and can appropriately focus on children.
Despite challenges the April Executive Order from Governor Martinez opened a real possibility for a Child Advocacy Center in Valencia County. The center would be unique to New Mexico because it would coordinate and localize services in a single location decreasing the stress and difficulty for children and caregivers throughout a rural New Mexico county with a full focus on all forms of child maltreatment. A Valencia County CAC is intended as a pilot for the development of similar centers in the state. In designing the center, concerned service providers, agencies, and law enforcement are looking at existing child advocacy centers throughout the nation and are receiving development and technical assistance from WRCAC.
Children are the most vulnerable New Mexicans and are dependent on others for basic needs and protection. Intervention, response, and prevention of child abuse and neglect should be one of the most defining objectives of its communities and government. Valencia County is a large rural county with a tragically high rate of child maltreatment. Concerned individuals and authorities in Valencia hope that a Valencia County Child Advocacy Center will be a significant step toward a collaborative environment for effective intervention and recovery for children.
(Photo by peasap)
June 17, 2014