With 20 years of serving child victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse and human trafficking, the Cumberland Valley Children’s Advocacy Center (CVCAC) is excited to announce their expansion of services for Harlan and Bell county children with the opening of a satellite office in Harlan County. The CVCAC is the designated regional child advocacy center for the Cumberland Valley Region located in London, Ky. that serves eight counties.

The CVCAC’s serves approximately 630 children with services including advocacy & support, forensic interviewing, trauma focused therapy, play therapy, coordinating and collaborating with law enforcement, Cabinet for Health and Family Services, County and Commonwealth Attorney’s offices. The Center is committed to promote the safety, health and emotional well-being of abused children and their supportive caregivers by bringing together a coordinated multi-agency response.

“We are so excited to be expanding our services.  It takes a team effort to work difficult cases and we have always had a great relationship with Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Kentucky State Police Post 10, local law enforcement and Parker’s office.  It’s our vision to be open by early summer,” said Paige Lay, Executive Director of the CVCAC.

Lay attributes the possibility of the new satellite office to the Elgin Children’s Foundation, Tim Rogers and Paul Phillips’ support and for advocacy for it.  She stated that the Sugar Ridge Land Company assisted in finding the perfect location.

“These services are desperately needed for our Harlan County children that have been harmed by sexual abuse,” said Parker Boggs, Commonwealth Attorney for Harlan, adding, “For the past five years,  I have worked with the London TLC House and have seen the need for our Harlan children who have been victimized.”

“I prosecute the sex offenders and obtain guilty sentences in Court but that does not heal the child victim…Children need long-term professional help to deal with the effects of sexual abuse.”

Boggs stated that few people can regularity transport a child to London for counseling.  Now, pleased by the continual efforts of the Center and community advocates, for they can receive these services closer to home, in Harlan.  

The Commonwealth’s Attorney office Victim’s Advocate Shanda Middleton meets monthly with the personnel from CVCAC to discuss pending court cases and plan prosecution of child sexual abuse.  She only assists with “pending cases” in the Judicial system. The Center and community has been seeking long term follow-up care for for their victims for years.

“We are overjoyed that our victims will get the help they need in Harlan,” Lay said.

The CVCAC Satellite Office will be located at 211 East Central Street, Suite 101, Harlan, Ky. 40831. For more information visit www.cv-cac.org or contact Paige Lay, Executive Director 606-878-9116.