Senator Mannion Announces $7,200,000 for Child Advocacy Centers Including McMahon Ryan in Onondaga County

Syracuse, NY - Senator John W. Mannion today toured the McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center in Syracuse and announced $7,200,000 in funding for Child Advocacy Centers (CAC) across the state. The funding will help CACs to continue to provide essential services to children and families who have been affected by child abuse.

Senator John W. Mannion said, “Child Advocacy Centers protect children from abuse and help families and young victims of abuse heal and recover. The McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center in Syracuse serves more than one thousand children and families annually. I’ll continue to advocate vigorously for this vital and necessary resource for our community.”

Laura Serway, President of the Board of Directors of McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center says, “It is critical that we engage our leaders in Central New York to champion the most vulnerable cohort of our community, our children.   We are grateful to Senator Mannion for taking the time to reflect upon the seriousness of child abuse and human trafficking while acknowledging the efforts of the team at the McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center.” 

CACs are a multi-disciplinary approach to investigating child abuse and caring for its victims. By combining social services, law enforcement, prosecutors, and medical care under one roof, CACs can provide a more coordinated and trauma-informed response to child abuse. This can help to reduce the number of times children must disclose details of their abuse, which can help to prevent re-traumatization.

The funding that Senator Mannion helped secure will allow CACs to continue to provide essential services to children and families who have been affected by child abuse. 

These services include forensic interviews with children who have been abused, mental health counseling and therapy, medical exams, and advocacy and support for families. 

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