[AG] Legislation Establishes Partnership to Benefit Abused Children
[Verbatim] Abused and neglected children in Mississippi will benefit when a Senate Bill is signed into law. Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood applauded state lawmakers for working together on Senate Bill 3024. The measure, which passed the House and Senate last week, establishes and funds a Center of Excellence at the Blair E. Batson Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi.
General Hood explained, “A Center for Excellence is a step forward in our criminal justice system; it creates a collaboration among state agencies and other entities which provide services to abused and
neglected children. The Center for Excellence will provide non-traumatic medical and physical services as well as examinations from experts who specialize in child maltreatment for child victims of abuse or neglect. This collaborative effort will blend tough prosecution with compassionate care.”
The bill creates a partnership between the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Attorney General Jim Hood, and the Mississippi Department of Human Services which will enable collaboration
with other state agencies and entities that provide services to children. This action will ensure the Center serves as a statewide resource for the assessment, investigation and prosecution in cases of child maltreatment.
General Hood said the law, “is a revolutionary step forward to provide urgently needed services to victims in our State who have been underserved for too long. As a father, I know that our children are not only our future, but they are also a priceless gift to parents. My children are the best part of my life, but as a prosecutor, I’ve seen the worst cases of abuse. Too often I’ve seen broken bones and souls when children in our communities are abused or molested.”
“The Center for Excellence will help facilitate criminal prosecution by providing compassionate child services such as victim assessments, investigation, and medical services. It will also bring
training and educational outreach, research and future development of satellite clinics in the State. We believe by working together, we will give our child victims the best possible opportunities for mental, emotional, and physical recovery while we prosecute the abuser.”
Posted by ladd at 04:56 PM in Attorney General, Children & Families, Legislature | Email this entry
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