The McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center is receiving an honor that only two centers in the country have received: becoming accredited in all 2023 standards.
Executive Director Colleen Merced said the center has been accredited three times, but this time, it was extra challenging.
Typically, there are ten standards a center has to meet. This year, there were three new ones: physical abuse, human trafficking, and outreach prevention and education.
"We decided to put our hat in the ring and apply for it,” said Merced. “We were doing those services anyway. We want to expand those services, so with getting accredited for that, we're able to get different types of funding as well."
Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick said the work of the McMahon Ryan Advocacy Center is critical for every child who has experienced abuse.
"You don't really know what happened to you in the sense that an adult would, but you know it was bad. You know your privacy was violated. You know that all the rules you've been taught since you were a little boy were thrown out the window. And all of this was done by somebody you loved,” he said, to illustrate the seriousness of what some children go through.
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said post-pandemic, the need in the community is high.
"Because of that impact, we knew that kids were in situations longer, many of our first responders were on the sidelines to a degree. And, so, it's not that there's been a resource issue. It's been, ‘How big is the problem now?’” he said.
Merced said the center helps 1300-1500 kids each year.
