A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for children's advocacy centers and for training of professionals involved in the investigation and prosecution of child sex abuse cases.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Secretary, the sum of one million one hundred thousand dollars ($1,100,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year to be allocated equally among the 22 fully certified child advocacy centers in this State for expanding forensic interviewing capabilities, increasing multidisciplinary team training, developing comprehensive community responses to child abuse, coordinating and tracking investigative, prosecutorial, child protection and treatment efforts in child abuse cases, and providing treatment and preventing trauma to child abuse victims otherwise caused by multiple, duplicative contacts with different agencies and professionals.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Secretary, the sum of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year to be allocated to the Children's Advocacy Centers of North Carolina, Inc., to bring the National Children's Advocacy Center Forensic Interviewing Academy to North Carolina for two separate training and professional development conferences for professionals involved in the investigation and prosecution of child sex abuse cases. One training conference will be in the western region and the other in the eastern region of the State. The money may not be used for administrative purposes and is only for direct costs of the training.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.