Child Advocacy Program for Abuse Victims Receives Nearly $400,000

Washington Department of Commerce of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA) dispersed $7.2 million in grant funding throughout the state and Grant County's Kids New Hope program was one of the organizations selected for funding in the competitive grant opportunity. New Hope, based in downtown Moses Lake, received almost $400,000 in funds for two years.

"We are really excited about the opportunity we have for serving all the kids in Grant and Adams County," said Suzi Fode, director of Kids New Hope. "We are going to be able to hire a forensics interviewer and an administrative support staff that are going to supplement the staff working in our children's advocacy center."

Law enforcement or Child Protective Services will refer children who have suffered sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect to New Hope's child advocacy center.

"We are able to wrap all services around that family. So they get their interview done here and they only have to tell their story one time, or that's the ideal. They tell it, it's recorded and then it's sent with law enforcement or prosecutors for a criminal case," said Fode.

Fode stressed the need to have qualified staff, the right resources and an environment that is a safe and stable landing for families when they come in.

"Obviously a child sexual assault or physical assault is a pretty traumatic event to happen to a kid, so we want to make sure everything we offer them minimizes that trauma down the road," said Fode.

The child advocacy center strives to provide tools like therapy, an advocate and other similar supportive measures like a gas card to ensure families have transportation to make it to therapy. Fode stated that the center had seen an increase of about 243% reported cases to their agency over the last year and a half.

"So we just knew we had to meet that growth and that demand," said Fode.