Children's Justice Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center

In 2009, the Women’s Fund granted $16,000 from our “vulnerable children” grant interest area to create a new Inter-Disciplinary Seminar for law, medical and social work graduate students. This program is innovative because it aims to change public policy by developing leaders in the medical and legal field who understand the complex legal issues surrounding child abuse and neglect. Students in the course work closely with the Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council and conclude their course by presenting policy recommendations to elected officials. The Women’s Fund is particularly interested in child abuse prevention because children who experience child abuse have long-term physical and mental consequences, and there is a close connection between child abuse and domestic violence. In fact, fifty percent of men who frequently assault their wives frequently assault their children. This grant fits the model of “social change grantmaking” because it focuses on public policy and system change, rather than direct services. Click here for the Children's Justice Center website.