Paulding County proclaims April child abuse prevention month; Child Advocacy Center reports 2024 caseload rise

The Paulding County Board of Commissioners proclaimed April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month and received a presentation from Ivy Couch, executive director of the Paulding County Child Advocacy Center, on the center’s 2024 caseload and outreach.

Couch told the board the center conducted 236 forensic interviews in 2024; she said about 95% of those children were Paulding County residents and that the center’s service totals for 2024 were 39,655 (a cumulative count of services provided). Couch said trauma-focused therapy referrals were low last year (11) because of federal funding cuts that forced the center to outsource its therapy program. She reported 1,191 volunteers and noted the center operates with three full-time staff and two interns.

Couch described outreach and fundraising efforts tied to April’s awareness month, including a blue-ribbon campaign, a “20 for 20” giving effort through June and a June bingo fundraiser at the Cultural Arts Parks and Rec Center partnered with Cops for Kids. She also described interviews conducted for commercial sexual exploitation-of-children (CSEC) cases and said some individual forensic interviews can run several hours depending on a child’s experiences.

At the meeting the board also heard from sheriff’s office representatives about the county’s Alcohol, Drug and Awareness program (ADAD), an in-school prevention program involving middle and elementary schools; the sheriff said ADAD brings public safety officials before students to encourage dialogue and expose young people to the consequences of substance misuse. The sheriff said he is committed to continuing the program in partnership with the county, board of commissioners and the courts.

Separately, the board presented a Public Safety Appreciation Award to Lieutenant Brad Hogan of the Paulding County Fire Department. County presenters described Hogan’s recent 16-week role assisting recruit school and training, his background in law enforcement and the military and his promotion to lieutenant in February 2024. Presenters said his extended participation in recruit school provided training benefits to new firefighters.

Why it matters: the proclamation recognizes child-abuse prevention and the Child Advocacy Center’s caseload and service challenges; the ADAD program and public-safety award reflect county outreach and first-responder staffing and training priorities.

What was not decided or specified: the transcript includes statistics and program descriptions but does not show new funding approvals tied to the presentation during the excerpt provided.

Quotes from the meeting: "We had 236 forensic interviews…95 percent of that is Paulding County kids." — Ivy Couch, executive director, Paulding County Child Advocacy Center "We're committed to continuing to work with the county, the board of commissioners, superior court, to ensure that this program keeps going because we feel like it's very important to educate our children on the dangers of drugs and alcohol." — Sheriff (unnamed in transcript)