The University of Nevada, Reno's Victims of Crime Treatment Center, a psychological clinic that provides services to victims of sexual abuse and assault, elder abuse and domestic violence, recently received additional funding to provide services for victims of child physical abuse.

All of the services offered by the center are free for the victims due to the funding they received through the Victims of Crimes Act from the State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Division of Child and Family Services. The additional funding that the center received as of July 1 allows the clinic to serve more victims in northern Nevada.

"The funding allows us the opportunity to offer services to a different class of victims," Lorraine Benuto, psychologist and associate director at the University's Victims of Crimes Treatment Center, said.

Last year, the center provided services to 132 victims. These victims include children, adults and parents of victims who were not the perpetrators.

"The Victims of Crime Treatment Center is unique in that we offer evidence-based services, meaning that we use treatments that have been shown to work," Benuto said. 

The clinic was opened on the University campus approximately 19 years ago by the Director of the Center William O'Donohue. Currently, it has two clinical psychologists, Benuto and O'Donohue, and six volunteer therapists who work in the clinic. The center provides their free services in both English and Spanish.

"In northern Nevada, there is a large portion of people who only speak Spanish or who speak a limited amount of English," Benuto said. "It is important to provide our services to this group."

The center works to create a treatment plan to best help the victim. The therapists generally treat victims for one to three months but they have an open-door policy so clients can return for additional services if needed.

The Victims of Crime Treatment Center is located in Edmund J. Cain Hall in room 206. For more information, call 775-682-8684.