Reporter: Shelley Basinger
Lynchburg, VA - Child and family advocates across the Commonwealth are speaking out against one proposed cut in Gov. Bob McDonnell's budget.
They say there's no reason to pull more money from the most successful child abuse prevention program in the state, Healthy Families Virginia. The goal of this program is to offer support to families from before a child is born until he or she turns five years old.
The governor's proposed budget eliminates $380,000 per year in funding for Healthy Families Virginia. The program already lost $1.9 million in funding over the last two years.
According to Presbyterian Homes and Family Services and the Family Alliance, Healthy Families has a proven track record. While 50 % of the mothers who rely on the program have a family history that includes abuse and neglect, less than 1 % of the families served report abuse or neglect.
Ashley Graham, director of "Parenting Plus" at PHFS and the Family Alliance says this is a life-changing service since the majority of child's brain development is in the first five years of their lives.
"It comes with bonding and attachment. We work with moms on learning how to do activities with their child to promote bonding, to promote reading, development, education... all of those things that are really important in the first five years that set the stage for the rest of their lives," said Graham.
Because of these cuts, five Healthy Families Virginia sites have had to shut down over the last two years. One of them was in South Boston.
