The Hope Place and Escambia County Children’s Policy Council will share in more than $32,000 in grant funds from the state’s Children’s Trust Fund to help enhance and protect the lives of the county’s children.

The Monday presentation represents three grants for the organizations from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention program under the state’s CTF.

The county CPC was awarded $25,000 to help enforce Erin’s Law, which requires all public schools in each state implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program which teaches students in grades pre-K – 12th grade, age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult; school personnel all about child sexual abuse; and parents and guardians the warning signs of child sexual abuse, plus needed assistance, referral or resource information to support sexually abused children and their families.

Karean Reynolds, CPC coordinator, said the funds will be used to hire a sexual abuse specialist to coordinate the school program.

“These funds will allow us to add an extra level of prevention,” Reynolds said. “Our thanks go out to the school boards for their willingness to work with us.”

The Hope Place was awarded $2,500 to help fund parent education and family support.

Vicki Fussell, Hope Place director, said, “We are here to help educate parents in any way we can and these funds help us do that.”

At the end of the presentation, Claire Stinson, field director for the state’s CTF, said, “Know that everything you do for children makes a difference. What the CPC and Hope Place does in Escambia County is amazing.”