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Children’s advocacy center highlights long-term costs of maltreatment, asks city to revisit lease terms
Summary
Chris Newland of the National Children’s Advocacy Center told the council the multidisciplinary center reduces long-term social and fiscal costs of child maltreatment, noted city support of $50,000, and asked council to reconsider an existing $14/sq ft lease that he said is below downtown market averages.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Chris Newland, representing the National Children’s Advocacy Center, briefed the Huntsville City Council on Thursday about the center’s multidisciplinary model for responding to child maltreatment and the community-level benefits of intervention.
“We’re founded on two basic concepts,” Newland told the council. “Number 1, the only way we can be successful with addressing child abuse is by having a multidisciplinary team that includes law enforcement, child protective services, mental health professionals, medical professionals, and that number 2 whatever that team does it should actually help kids.”
Newland described long-term economic and public-health impacts tied to childhood maltreatment, citing that men who were abused in childhood on average earn 21% less than peers and women 15% less, and that about 9% of Medicaid costs are associated with child maltreatment. He said the NCAC provides co-located services for the Huntsville Police Department Special Victims Unit and has conducted forensic interviews for HPD as recently as the day of the meeting.
Newland told council members the NCAC received $50,000 in city support this past year and asked the city to reconsider lease terms for the space the center occupies. “The current lease is about $14 per square foot per year,” he said, adding that downtown market averages are closer to $25 per square foot. He described the NCAC’s providing utilities, janitorial services and other facility support as part of the arrangement.
Council members thanked Newland and described the center’s work as important to child safety and community health. Council member Michelle Watkins, speaking as a former educator, thanked the center for its work with students. City staff did not announce an immediate change to the lease terms; Newland’s request was placed on the record for future consideration.
The presentation closed with applause and a brief council Q&A about the center’s role and county and city partnerships.
Next steps: Council staff and the mayor’s office can follow up with the NCAC to review lease and support options.
