MichiganRadio

Detroit to open new Children's Advocacy Center ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) - Wayne County does not have one, central place children can go to get help if they've suffered abuse or neglect.

But the Guidance Center is Southgate plans to open the first ever Children's Advocacy Center in Detroit in December. It will house mental health and medical services, forensic interviewing, prosecution and protective services.

Laura Huot is with the Guidance Center. She expects the new Children's Advocacy Center will serve about 2,000 kids a year:

"We've expanded services to children through age 18 who are victims of not only sexual abuse, but physical abuse, neglect and other forms of trauma such as witnessing a homicide."

There are approximately 7,000 substantiated cases of abuse and neglect in Wayne County every year.

Contact Jennifer Guerra at guerraj@umich.edu

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