Local Child Abuse Prevention Center, Pickens Family Partners, has requested $5,000 from the county. During the Pickens County Board of Commissioners work session this week, board member Becky Denney presented the board with the request. Here, Commission Chair Rob Jones read a letter to the county from Executive Director Margy Lohman.

The letter states that at the end of 2012, 45 families were dropped from the non-profit’s prevention services of Prevent Child Abuse Pickens. In the letter, Lohman also states she has 52 at-risk prenatal families, but due to lack of funding they cannot be enrolled in services. Funding for the organization initially came from a three-year state grant, which started in 2009. In 2011 and 2012, though, the grant decreased. Due to financial constraints, the organization was forced to let four valued employees go. Further, Lohman stated she is volunteering her services as past director to keep the doors open serving 20 plus families with visitation services.

Currently, the first steps program is funded by Piedmont Mountainside Hospital. As such, Lohman said she was requesting $5,000 to assist with funding.

“Our program focuses not only on child abuse,”

Lohman wrote,

“but also on school readiness, domestic violence (and) substance abuse prevention.”

After reading the letter, Jones recommended making copies for the other commissioners and discussing the matter at the next regular meeting later this month, since no action can be taken during work sessions.

In an email to FYN today, county Chief Financial Officer Faye Harvey explained that the county is the fiscal agent for Family Connections, but not for Families First and to the best of her knowledge the organization does not receive state grants through the county. Also, she stated with certainty the county has no current budget for this request.

The board did not indicate whether or not it was in favor of the donation.