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            Yesterday KMXT told you about the Child Advocacy Center, a new building that offers a collaborative space for various organizations involved in child abuse cases. The center is located across from the Kodiak Area Native Association office building on Rezanof Drive and shares space with another program designed to help children, the Cama’i Home Visiting Program.

            Cassie Hickey is the program coordinator for the home visits and said the service helps make sure Alaska Native children are on tract developmentally.

--          (Cama’i Program 1                 :32       “The Cama’i Home Visiting Program  … connect them to.”)

            The funding for the program comes through a federal grant, and the program got the OK to begin work in November. Hickey said usage has been slow to start, as many people are reluctant to have strangers visit their home. She said those who have used the program have given positive feedback and more and more referrals are starting to come in. The service extends to villages like Ouzinkie, Ahkiok, Port Lions and Old Harbor. She said home visitors will actually fly out to the homes in those cases and conduct a visit the same as they would in Kodiak. Right now, the program has a limited number of visitors.

--          (Cama’i Program 2                 :15                   “Well right now we only have ... that we are using.”)

            Hickey said the program is funded through 2015, and KANA is currently working toward acquiring sustainable funding sources to continue the service beyond that.  

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