Foothills Children’s Advocacy Center asks Madison County for support after serving 21 local children

Foothills Children’s Advocacy Center CEO Sherry McKinney told the Madison County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 12 that Foothills is a mandated partner in child-abuse investigations but lacks full public funding. She said the center provided services to 21 Madison County children in the last fiscal year and estimated the average cost of those services at about $3,100 per child.

"We are mandated. We are in the Virginia code to be part of that process," McKinney said, describing Foothills’ work — forensic interviews, on-site medical exams, caregiver advocacy and participation in multidisciplinary teams — as the point where child-abuse investigations begin. McKinney said Foothills recently secured a grant to provide modest transportation assistance to families and is exploring a satellite or mobile option for Madison County.

Wade Gilbert, a deputy commonwealth’s attorney, reinforced the center’s local value and noted a letter of support from the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office was included in the meeting packet. Gilbert and others said the center’s recent staffing and program improvements have been well received by law enforcement and partners.

Why it matters: Foothills’ services are designed to reduce trauma and duplication in child‑abuse investigations. The center’s request for county support was framed as sustaining legally recognized and regionally coordinated services that local law enforcement and child-welfare partners rely on.

Board follow-up: Supervisors asked clarifying questions about transport, timelines for interviews, and potential impacts of state legislation (centralized intake) on local response. Foothills’ leaders said most reports route to law enforcement and local response capacity would likely remain intact, but they will monitor state proposals.

Ending: The board did not vote on a specific appropriation during the workshop; staff will include Foothills’ request in budget deliberations.