Today was a big day for people in Tulsa who help the victims of child abuse.

The Child Abuse Network, or ‘CAN’ for short, held a ribbon-cutting for a brand-new 34,000 square foot facility at 28th and Sheridan and also announced their new name, the Child Advocacy Network.

CAN Board Chair Jennifer White says the new brand better reflects their mission.

The non-profit group was founded in 1988 and provides counseling for victims and also coordinates and streamlines the response from all the various agencies that deal with child abuse, including law enforcement, in a way that minimizes any additional trauma to the victim.

White says the new facility not only gives them more space but says they made every effort to create an environment that’s as comforting as possible to the children.

“This state-of-the-art building has been meticulously designed to provide a single, safe, child-friendly location for all of our intervention services,” White said at the ribbon-cutting. “It has the latest technology, comforting interiors, and specially-trained staff.”

Sadly, there is a major need for the group’s services.

The state Department of Human Services says Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of child abuse in the nation.

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