Co-ordination of services for youth crime victims focus of new centre

Services are in the process of being coordinated for young victims of crime in Nipissing.

The federal government is providing $129,000 in funding to support the development of a child and youth advocacy centre.

The executive director of Hands The Family Help Network Jeffrey Hawkins says they will be integrating social, health, justice and law enforcement services where the victim is at the centre of everyone’s concern.

He says often the victim has to re-tell their story to each agency,

Nipissing-TImiskaming MP Anthony Rota says this will be enhanced service.

“The child does not have to be traumatized and re-live the experience over and over and over again.

This will bring everyone together and getting everything in 1 place at 1 time will make it a lot easier for our children.”

Hawkins says the money will enable all important agencies in victim support to work together to form a cohesive unIt.

“Now a child can go from one interview to another from North Bay Police to the CAS to the hospital to HANDS and with this we transcend that into an integrated model.”

Among the agencies involved are HANDS, the Children’s Aid Society, North Bay Police, West Nipissing Police and local and regional hospitals.

No location has been chosen for the centre yet and it’s not expected to be open until next March at the earliest.