West Virginia Press Association
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Pinwheels line the entrance to CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital in observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Each April, the hospital places the pinwheels in honor of the more than 900 abused children helped by Women and Children’s Hospital annually.
When the CAMC Children’s Advocacy Center opened in 2005, it was the first hospital-based center in the state and the first to incorporate all the necessary components for the care and treatment of children suspected of being the victims of child sexual abuse. Before the center opened, a child would have to go to several places including law enforcement, child protective services and even an emergency room for a physical examination. At each place, the child would have to retell what had happened. This center makes it easier on the child who may be scared and confused.
Providing all necessary services at the Center allows for a more child-centered approach and better outcomes for children and families.
The CAMC Children’s Advocacy Center is accredited by the National Children’s Alliance and serves Kanawha, Putnam and Jackson counties as well as Clay, Mason and Roane.
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About Charleston Area Medical Center Health System: Established in 1972, CAMC is a nonprofit, 1,138-bed, regional referral center made up of seven hospitals CAMC General Hospital, CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, CAMC Memorial Hospital, CAMC Plateau Medical Center, CAMC Charleston Surgical Hospital, CAMC Teays Valley Hospital and CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital, CAMC Cancer Center (with three locations: Beckley, Charleston and Hurricane), the CAMC Institute for Academic Medicine and the CAMC Foundation. More than 1,500 providers are members of the medical staff of CAMC, which is also West Virginia’s premiere medical teaching facility, hosting, on any given day, more than 1,000 students in programs leading to degrees or certifications in health professions. For more information, visit camc.org.
About Vandalia Health
Vandalia Health is a multi-state health system with locations across West Virginia as well as in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Made up of CAMC Health System, Davis Health System and Mon Health System, Vandalia Health has 17 hospitals, over 220 ambulatory locations, more than 13,000 employees and more than 2,000 doctors and advanced practice providers. For more information or a map of locations visit vandaliahealth.org.
