Letters to the Editor

Citizen Hopes Trash Money Goes to Future and Children

This letter was submitted to The Southside Messenger by a citizen of Amelia County that has thoughts about trash in her county:

I am writing to you from the back boundary of the Maplewood Landfill in Jetersville where my family has lived since 1977. We moved to Amelia when I was about 2. The dump moved in 29 years ago. The reason for writing you today is to give you an update on trains you may be hearing or seeing. They originate in New York and New Jersey, then pass through Petersburg on their way to my backyard. I most often notice them in Crewe, behind Valero, sometimes stretching as far as the eye can see. Each rail car carries four green ‘cans’ with each of the cans equaling a transfer truck’s worth of trash. I am thankful they don’t travel the roads aand that they’re airtight, until they are unloaded. Four million pounds of trash a day, approximately. 

Amelia County receives tipping fees, which recently have generally averaged between $30,000 and $50,000 monthly. Waste Management signed a new contract for 10 years that began this summer and has since been generating upwards of $200,000 a month, with the noise and smell to go along with it. I know the landfill isn’t going anywhere, the projected lifespan is 100+ years. I’m not planning on going anywhere either. But, I will do my best to influence how the monies made for the County are spent. I hope to see the revenue spent wisely and in ways to benefit the future, our children. I am open to suggestions and ideas. And all support is welcomed! 

To peace, health and love for all,

Allison Crews

Southside Center for Violence

Prevention Seeking Area Support

Dear Editor:

A few months ago, Southside Center for Violence Prevention (SCVP) announced to the public that it would open its doors for forensic services on July 1, 2019 and become a fully-operational Forensic Examiner Program this October for victims of abuse/neglect.  We have completed construction on a forensic interview room and a GYN exam suite, in part with a very generous donation of medical equipment from MST & Associates.  This allows victims to receive free, confidential, and trauma-informed services of advocacy, counseling, interviews, medical-forensic exams, and emergency shelter in one location.  We also had a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in place with the county Department of Social Services, Police Department, Sheriff’s Department, and the Commonwealth’s Attorney, per requirements for Child Advocacy Center operation.  

The agreement designated us as an option for victims, as we would not want to require any victim to use any specific option.  The MOU asked partners to agree to notify those reporting abuse/neglect of SCVP’s medical-forensic services and that these services are a) provided by specially-trained Sexual Assault Medical-Forensic Examiners, b) provided at no charge to the individual or the individual’s insurance so patients who are on another person’s insurance policy, such as a reported perpetrator, can freely seek care without fear, and c) documented only within SCVP’s health record.  The MOU further asked partners to refer individuals interested in or having questions about the forensic medical services a medical-forensic exam consultation to SCVP’s 24/7 Hotline.  The MOU specified that the choice of a person reporting abuse/neglect to seek medical-forensic care through another medical provider, such as the family pediatrician, is always an option.  We do not feel this is an unreasonable request.  We believe it promotes informed decisions and patient choice and enables the healing to begin from a trauma-informed approach.  

We also reached out to leadership at Centra Southside Community Hospital in Farmville to discuss our program and their plans for a forensic nursing program in the future and how the two programs have different advantages and can co-exist.  Initial meetings have been very positive, and we are hoping to be able to move forward in our partnership with the hospital.

Unfortunately, as we prepare to fully open, we have encountered a serious roadblock in our efforts to provide these critically important services to the citizens of Prince Edward County.  We believe it is our duty to inform the public that we are no longer able to fully provide the services we pledged to provide to citizens of Prince Edward County.  

Shortly upon SCVP offering these services to victims within Prince Edward County, the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Megan Clark, withdrew her written support in an email received by our organization on 7/12/19.  The Commonwealth’s Attorney reported concerns that included the ability of any of nurse who may work with us to be unbiased, to be able to fulfill their duties in evidence collection, or to be appropriately trained to perform medical-forensic exams.  These are valid concerns for anyone performing medical care and the very reason why degrees, trainings, certifications, licenses, and professional memberships exist and require a standard of competent and ethical practice.  Our nursing staff does and will continue to meet the requirements for medical-forensic practice set forth by the State of Virginia and the International Association of Forensic Nurses.  

As the Commonwealth’s Attorney acknowledged in her email, her withdrawal voids the entire MOU, preventing SCVP from continuing to fill this important service in Prince Edward County.  This affects our other official partners in Prince Edward County.  When we reached out to the other MOU partners, they informed us that they were unaware of the Commonwealth Attorney’s decision to rescind the agreement.  Given the concerns the Commonwealth’s Attorney expressed, and our partners’ lack of knowledge about the MOU being voided, we reached out to all partners to discuss any concerns.  However, the Commonwealth’s Attorney declined an invitation to meet with us unless the Lynchburg Forensic Nursing Program was present.  Why should Lynchburg Forensic Nursing Program have a role in the services we elect to have our qualified providers offer victims in our service area?  SCVP objects to this request on the basis of professional standards and concern for those we serve.  

We are eager to meet with all parties who are part of our original MOU but feel it is inappropriate to have a meeting about an MOU that does not include other partners on our MOU, or that includes selected outside parties, instead of all possible outside parties.  Unfortunately, our attempts to schedule a meeting with just the MOU signatories were rejected, as some partners expressed that they did not need to be part of a meeting with outside parties.  SCVP did offer to meet with Lynchburg Forensic Nursing Program, nurse to nurse, to discuss the medical-forensic options available in the different programs, but the director of that program declined an invitation to meet with us without having the Prince Edward County Commonwealth’s Attorney present.  

The ramification of the decision to rescind the MOU is vast.  It not only affects the citizens of Prince Edward County, but it also affects the other counties we serve as the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Virginia has refused to endorse our program for membership and/or certification with the National Children’s Alliance (who oversee all CACs) without providing this service to Prince Edward County.  This endorsement is a requirement of the NCA process.  Their only explanation to date has been that it is not in the best interest of those who live outside of our county to receive services through us, despite travel distance to us, patient preference, the absence of a CAC in our service area, or our use of satellite office spaces throughout our service area.  

SCVP continues to offer counseling, advocacy, and shelter to Prince Edward County and its forensic advocacy services to other supporting counties within our service area.  It is our sincerest hope that our Forensic Advocacy Program will be supported by all required MOU partners and the Virginia CAC, so that we can give the services that our community deserves.  We ask that the community become involved in advocating for this program as well.  Please visit www.scvpcares.org for more information on our program or how to help.

Southside Center for

Violence Prevention