Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi (CACM) CEO Karla Steckler Tye, and Commissioner Andrea Sanders of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS) recognized April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and toured CACM's Child Advocacy Training Institute, which provides hands-on training for students and professionals to recognize, react, and respond appropriately in situations where child abuse may be present.
"Receiving specialized training on recognizing, responding to, and preventing child abuse is critical for a strong response to child abuse. The Child Advocacy Training Institute is an important step in preparing the workforce that is the first line of defense for a child suffering abuse," said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. "Its simulation-based training equips frontline workers for the worst, so they are prepared to be their best for a child in need. I am grateful for the leadership that the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi and the Department of Child Protection Services have demonstrated throughout our partnership."
“Ultimately, the protection and healing of a child who has been abused depends on the response by the professionals who intersect with that child. The Child Advocacy Training Institute allows professionals to practice those critical moments before they happen in real life because when it comes to protecting children, we cannot afford to get it wrong. As we begin Child Abuse Prevention Month, this facility represents Mississippi’s commitment to getting it right for every child, every time," said Karla Steckler Tye, CEO, Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi.
“At MDCPS, we know that protecting children begins long before a case is ever reported—it begins with preparation. The Child Advocacy Training Institute provides MDCPS employees the opportunity to walk through the full continuum of a case in a realistic, hands-on environment. By strengthening workforce training, we strengthen how our system responds and ensure that when a child speaks, there is a prepared, coordinated, and confident team ready to act. This facility reflects Mississippi’s commitment to getting it right for every child, every time," Department of Child Protection Services Commissioner Andrea A. Sanders.
In addition to sharing a tour of the Child Advocacy Training Institute, Attorney General Fitch and CACM also provided additional resources for protecting their children, including the creation of a new card offering tips for safe online gaming. This is the third in a series of resource cards created by the Attorney General’s Office and CACM. The Attorney General’s Office has also developed other resources to help keep children safe online as part of the #BeAwareBeforeYouShare initiative, a campaign to raise awareness of social media’s dangerous impact on children’s mental and physical wellbeing.
