DEFUNIAK SPRINGS — One year has passed since the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center opened an office in Walton County.
In that time the center has seen the community’s awareness of its services grow and reports of child abuse increase. It has set up an interview room at its location at 256 U.S. Highway 90 and has started to look for a larger, permanent home.
In 2010, about 87 children came from Walton County to the Children’s Advocacy Center’s office in Niceville. In 2011, that number spiked to 229. So far this year, more than 70 children have visited the center in DeFuniak Springs.
“I worry about the kids not being reported,” said Julie Hurst, the organization’s executive director.
The rise in numbers can stem from several factors: a poor economy, the center’s integration in the community and new reporting laws, Hurst said.
The poor economy makes it hard for many families to travel for services, Hurst said. The DeFuniak Springs office has made it possible for families to get help. Some families and teens even walk to the center.
“It wouldn’t be okay for us to let them down because they don’t have a car,” said Will Siegal, a registered mental health counseling intern with the state of Florida who works at the center.
Most of the time, families can get a range of services at one stop, which eases some of the stress during a traumatic time. The interview room wasn’t originally planned, Hurst said, but the team thought it would be an extra benefit for families.
The only service at the Niceville office not offered in DeFuniak Springs is onsite medical evaluations. However, that service will be available in Walton County after a permanent home is found, Hurst said.
The center is looking into possible land donations for a center with enough room for medical evaluations and more. Counseling for parents is another service that will be expanded, Hurst said.
“When a child is a victim of abuse, it does affect the whole family,” Siegal said. “We want to make sure kids are going back to a healthy environment.”
Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Delgado can be reached at 850-315-4445 or ldelgado@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenDnwfdn.
