Photo by Michael Rodgers/City of Gadsden
Gadsden Council President Kent Back, Barrie Center Executive Director Patricia Falcon, Barrie Center Forensic Interviewer Reaghan Lowry, Barrie Center Community Outreach Advocate Robyn Phillips, Gadsden State’s Kristi Blackwell, Children’s Trust Fund of Alabama Program Specialist Lydia Blanks and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Alabama CEO/Director Shawn Blackmon.
By Kaitlin Hoskins, News Editor
The James M. Barrie Center for Children, a non-profit child advocacy center, was recognized with a proclamation at the regularly scheduled Gadsden City Council Meeting on March 31.
The proclamation declared April as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in Gadsden. Since 1983, April has been regarded as Child Abuse Prevention Month across the nation. The month is meant to raise awareness for child abuse and resources available to children who have been or are being abused.
Gadsden Council President Kent Back presented the proclamation on behalf of Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford. Back stated that The Barrie Center is a vital resource for all of Etowah County, but that he wished it was not needed.
Barrie Center executive director, Patricia Falcon, accepted the proclamation and praised the Gadsden Police Department for their partnership efforts.
“I know you already know this, but please hear me when I say this — you have a fine, fine, juvenile investigations department,” Falcon told the Gadsden City Council on Tuesday. “They are exceptional, and I just want to take that moment and say ‘thank you’ for what an amazing job you’ve done. I hope you know how proud we are to work with them.”
For the month of April, The Barrie Center is partnering with local businesses and governments to spread awareness for child abuse. To help do this, they are placing numerous blue pinwheels in front of partnering locations. According to Falcon, the pinwheel represents what childhood should be — fun, playful and whimsical.
The Barrie Center’s mission is to help children have a loving home and a fun and safe childhood. The Center was named after Peter Pan author James Barrie, as a nod to the magic and fun that should make up a child’s raising.
Since August 2002, The Barrie Center has conducted over 5,700 forensic interviews of children and has served nearly 9,000 family members in Etowah County.
Falcon shared that last year, the pinwheel initiative culminated in 10,000 pinwheels spread across Etowah County.
Falcon also shared Tuesday that 39 percent of the children they help every year come from Gadsden. She went on to answer questions from the council, including a question from Councilman Jason Wilson, inquiring about the statistics of boy and girls reporting. Falcon stated that abuse to boys, especially sexual abuse, is historically underreported.
Beyond raising awareness during the month of April, The Barrie Center works with law enforcement, conducts forensic interviews with child victims of violent crimes, train upcoming social workers on mandatory reporting and more.
According to its website, the mission of The Barrie Center is “to promote hope, healing and justice for child abuse victims by providing coordinated, trauma-informed services and education in our community.”
If you or someone you know is in need of the services of The Barrie Center, call their office at 256-543-1319, or to report suspected child abuse or neglect, contact the Etowah County Department of Human Resources at 256-622-8300, or the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office at 256-546-2825. For emergencies, call 911.
