12-Non-profit agencies requesting funding

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The plan for treatment is focused on keeping the victim in his/her home and removing the risk from the child. If keeping the child safe becomes impossible, the child is removed from the home, placed into foster care and a volunteer advocate is assigned to the child by our agency. Providing resources and services that will reduce stress and trauma, and ultimately produce a safer, healthier, happier and more productive child and family unit is the ultimate goal. By providing direct service support, community referrals and education on the criminal and civil justice systems, as well as safety prevention, (a) victims become empowered and knowledgeable and have a higher chance of regaining control of their own lives. (b) the direct service activities of this project fit into the overall goals and objectives of our organization because this project focuses on the delivery of services and aide to child victims of crime, which is specifically the purpose of our organizations mission and goals. (a) We collaborate with the following organizations: Lamar County Child Protective Services (child welfare), Lamar County District Attorney's Office (DA), Paris Police Department (law enforcement), Lamar County Sheriffs Office (law enforcement), 106th Judicial District Red River and County Court at Law, 6th and 62nd Judicial District Judges-Lamar County (district judge), Lamar County Regional Medical (hospital) and 3 other small law enforcement agencies throughout our county. We work together for the purpose -of supporting and assisting the victim during recovery (b) The manner and frequency in which we collaborate is on an on-going, day-to-day basis. We work child victim cases as a team and meet on a regular basis to review cases, remaining in constant contact. c) The benefits to a victim is that they don't get lost in an intimidating, complicated system and their cases move more quickly through the criminal and civil justice systems. This will aide in the healing of children who have been victimized and allows them to get-on with their lives. Children in Lamar County continue to be victimized by crime, abuse and neglect. Some child victims are lucky enough to remain in their home, other child victims are not so lucky and foster care becomes their home. No matter in the home or out, children who are thrust into the scary, complex and nightmarish world of the criminal and/or civil justice system, are negatively changed forever. Child victims will suffer specific victim related issues like emotional, physical, mental and educational trauma. The question is to what extent will they suffer, and can we soften the blow? According to the "Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Data Books" ("Data Book"), there were over 600 reports of child abuse made in both 2007 and 2008. In 2008, out of the 587 alleged victims only 86 children were provided services by CPS, 501 were not provided services. In 2007, out of the 564 alleged victims, only 107 were provided services by CPS, 457 were not provided services. In this overburdened and complex system children are sometimes forgotten. The long-term effects of child victimization are costly for a county. Lamar County is a small, rural community. In 2007, 141 children where placed in foster care, and there where 164 in foster care in 2008. According to the Data Book, the state averages seven children per 1,000 enter foster care, but in Lamar County, every 12 children per 1,000 enter foster care. The cost of foster case expenditures for Lamar 000042