KENTUCKY — This month, communities across the country are coming together to recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness on the effects of child abuse and the importance of prevention.

Louisville-based nonprofit Home of the Innocents is actively expanding programs and services to support those affected by abuse and neglect.

The nonprofit was founded in 1880 by James Taylor Helm, Episcopalian minister of Christ Church in Louisville.

During this "In Focus Kentucky" segment, Paul Robinson, president and CEO for Home of the Innocents, shared more details about some services the agency in the state that includes residential and community-based behavioral health services, therapeutic foster care and adoption services, supportive services for young adults experiencing homelessness and long-term care for children with complex medical needs.

"In just about two weeks, we will turn 145 years old, and we provide services to children all across the commonwealth," Robinson said. "Our largest programs, in particular ... we are the state's only skilled nursing facility for children living with medical complexities. We have 76 beds that provide medical care to them; we're actually in an exciting moment of time."

"We're in the middle of expanding that, bringing 50 additional ventilator beds online in the upcoming two years. That'll take us to 126 beds. But then we also operate a continuum of behavioral health services that are intended to help support, in particular, the children in the child welfare system. So we provide residential treatment. We are the city's only emergency shelter for children. And then, of course, we do foster care adoption work and then services help in the community as well." 

You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.