Una Receives Grant From Alabama Department Of Child Abuse And Neglect Prevention

Jan. 20, 2012

Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

FLORENCE, Ala. - The Department of Criminal Justice at the University of North Alabama recently received a three-year $237,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention to administer a program designed to help abused and neglected children throughout the state. Dr. Phil Bridgmon, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, said the program, which is called Child Defend, is new to the state of Alabama and is modeled after a Texas Loves Children program, a nonprofit organization created to improve the legal outcomes for abused and neglected children in Texas. "The mission of our program (in Alabama) is to do research, engage in education and foster collaboration among professionals to help improve the lives of children and families," Bridgmon said. "Our main function is to improve the case outcomes for children, and foster the exchange of ideas within the courts." Bridgmon said Child Defend will provide an online resource for judges, attorneys, communications professionals, social workers, and other professionals in the field of criminal justice to help abused children obtain better justice. He said there will be a kickoff event for the grant Feb. 3 at 1 p.m. in the UNA board room, where officials will be on hand for a demonstration of the online resource and to officially begin the work funded by the grant. For more information about the grant, contact Dr. Phil Bridgmon at 256-765-5045 or e-mail pbbridgmon@una.edu.