Appropriations Committee Makes Children a Priority

Through the recommended savings achieved by the Appropriations Committee on Health, Mental Health, and Social Services, we were able to recommend increasing funding to Missouri’s 15 Child Advocacy Centers (CAC).

CACs provide forensic interviewing and sexual assault forensic examinations (SAFEs) to children who are suspected of being sexually or physically abused. Many Child Advocacy Centers also provide social services, such as therapy, for children and prevention activities in their communities.

Forensic interviewers are highly trained professionals who are able to talk to children about any abuse they have experienced in a way that is not leading and allows law enforcement to determine what types of abuse may have occurred.

SAFEs are necessary to obtain evidence of the assault and to help care for the health needs of the child. CACs are able to provide these exams to children in
environments that make the experience as minimally traumatizing to the child as possible. Forensic interviewing and SAFEs are the foundation for the investigation and prosecution of child sex crimes.

Many perpetrators of child sexual abuse were victimized as children. Intervening effectively with child victims will prevent future child sexual abuse.

Additionally, untreated sexual trauma in youth drives unhealthy behaviors, disease, and mortality. By addressing the mental health needs of sexually abused children, the state is investing in services that ultimately will result in decreased expenditures in the Mental Health, Social Services and Health and Senior Services budgets in the long run.

Addressing the needs of sexually abused children requires tough decisions--but these children deserve to be a priority in the state's budget process.