The Child and Youth Advocacy Center (CYAC) is preparing to host local and state officials at its upcoming Come See Your CYAC Open House event scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 26, from 4-7 p.m.

Open House attendees will be able to tour the CYAC’s facility, where comprehensive, coordinated, and compassionate services are provided to child victims of abuse. “We are eager to meet with our elected officials to talk with them firsthand about the benefits that a Child Advocacy Center brings to a community,” says CYAC Executive Director Katherine Thompson.“We hope to have a good representation of both local officials and state legislators at our event.”

“It takes tremendous courage for a child to tell someone they are being abused,” says Thompson. “Child Advocacy Centers have been taking the lead in their local communities to welcome children and families through their doors, listen to their stories, and work with teams of professionals to keep kids safe, hold perpetrators accountable, and help child abuse victims embark on the road to healing. Our open house will provide an opportunity for our elected officials to understand the benefits thatthe CYAC brings to Greenbrier, Monroe, and Pocahontas counties.”

The CYAC was incorporated in 2001 and is an accredited member of the National Children’s Alliance.The CYAC provides support and advocacy services to child abuse victims and their non-offending caregivers.  The CYAC also works with local prosecutors, Child Protective Services workers, police officers, victim advocates, and medical and mental health providers to coordinate child abuse investigations and ensure that no victims fall through the cracks.  Since its founding, the CYAC has served over 3,000 Greenbrier Valley children and families.

The Come See Your CYAC Open House event will provide elected officials with a unique understanding of the many ways in which the CYAC helps abused children in our community. For more information regarding the event, contact Thompson at 304-645-4668 or kat@cyacwv.org.