Hernando County and You Thrive quietly crossed a big item off the community wish list on Wednesday, breaking ground on a new Children's Advocacy Center that will pull key services for abused children under one roof. The project is billed as a major upgrade from the agency's current setup, with leaders saying a centralized site should speed up both investigations and access to care for kids and their families.
Photos And Officials At The Ceremony
Photos shared by Hernando County Government show Board of County Commissioners Chair Jerry Campbell and Commissioner Brian Hawkins at the May 13 groundbreaking. The county post notes that state officials helped lock in funding for the build, describes the future center as an 11,000-square-foot facility, and includes ceremony shots that organizers say highlight broad community backing for the project.
State Funding And The Official Project Plan
State budget filings show the Children's Advocacy Center has already cleared some big funding hurdles, with more money formally requested to finish out construction. Florida Senate funding documents list a $1.5 million appropriation in the 2024–25 budget and record a $1.25 million request for 2026–27 toward a roughly $3.73 million project. The paperwork describes work to complete a 10,000-square-foot building that will combine multiple services in a single location and outlines an estimated construction window that starts in late February and runs into spring 2027.
What The Center Will Offer
According to You Thrive Florida, the Children's Advocacy Center coordinates forensic interviews, forensic medical exams, multi-disciplinary case staffings and trauma therapy so children and caregivers can move through the system in a child-friendly space. The nonprofit reports that the program currently serves more than 800 children and family members each year. Staff say the new facility will finally allow those services to operate under one roof, cutting down on repeated interviews and helping families reach treatment, court support and case management more quickly.
Who's Behind The Push
Hernando's official website lists Jerry Campbell as the Board of County Commissioners chair and Brian Hawkins as a county commissioner, and both are noted as attending the groundbreaking. The county's Facebook post credits state leaders, including Rep. Jeff Holcomb and Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, with helping secure the appropriations behind the effort; see Hernando County and the county post for additional context.
What's Next
Construction is projected to continue through spring 2027, and organizers say the finished center will boost therapy and advocacy capacity for families throughout Hernando County. Local partners and community donors, including the United Way of Hernando County, are listed among the funding streams that help keep CAC operations going. For details on services, volunteering and support, residents are directed to contact You Thrive Florida at its Brooksville office; see United Way of Hernando County and You Thrive Florida for more information.
