Bivona Child Advocacy center held its annual Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday.  

It's an event meant to recognize the importance of collaboration, education, and vigilance in the community’s fight against child abuse.

April also marks Child Abuse Prevention Month.  

During the event, officials also announced the opening of a second location at Skyview on the Ridge in Irondequoit. It will be the home of Bivona's new child abuse prevention program called Beacon Place. That is expected to open up in the fall.

“Sometimes over time partnerships can fade, partnerships can start to get loose, and people’s commitment to it wanes,” said Bivona Child Advocacy Center Chief Executive Officer Daniele Lyman-Torres. “But unfortunately, the prevalence of child abuse has not been reduced. So we can't let off the gas. So we have to keep this partnership as strong it was 20 years ago."

According to the National Children's Alliance, 600,000 children are abused each year in the U.S.