Officials with Louisville’s Family and Children’s Place will break ground this week on a new social services center for children who have been sexually abused.The center is based on a national model that combines private and public services under one roof, said President Dan Fox. It will serve as the starting point for investigations and children seeking help, he said.The effort is meant to reduce the trauma on the child. “When sexual abuse is alleged and uncovered, children are their most vulnerable at that point. What they don’t need is running around town talking with endless number of adults talking about what happened to them,” Fox said.The center will house the Metro Police headquarters for the Crimes Against Children Unit. There will also be representatives from Child Protective Services, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, and physicians from the University of Louisville.The $7 million project is being funded primarily through private donations raised by the Family and Children’s Place over the past three years, said Fox.The center is expected to open by May next year.
