The Childrens House

TO REDUCE TRAUMA TO CHILDREN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED ABUSE AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH A COLLABORATION OF COMMUNITY AGENCIES.

AS A SOCIETY THE TOPIC OF CHILD ABUSE IS NOT A POPULAR TOPIC. OUR OBJECTIVE AT THE CHCAC IS TO ENGAGE PEOPLE INTO TALKING ABOUT IT MORE. CLEARLY, CHILD ABUSE ISNT JUST A PROBLEM WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. ITS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT IS MUCH LARGER AND HAS LASTING EFFECTS. WE MUST INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN TODAY OR WE WILL END UP PAYING THE PRICE TOMORROW. THIS IS WHERE THE CHILDRENS HOUSE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER (CHCAC) IS HERE TO HELP. THE SERVICES PROVIDED ON SITE HERE AT THE CHCAC ARE:FORENSIC INTERVIEWS ARE PROVIDED TO CHILDREN WHEN THERE IS A CONCERN OF CHILD ABUSE. A TRAINED FORENSIC INTERVIEWER SPEAKS WITH THE CHILD ONE-ON-ONE IN A CHILD FRIENDLY SETTING. THE INTERVIEWS ARE ALWAYS DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE AND LEGALLY SOUND. IN THE LAST 2 YEARS DUE TO INCREASED CASE REFERRALS WE NOW HAVE ONE FULL TIME AND TWO PART TIME FORENSIC INTERVIEWERS ON STAFF.FAMILY ADVOCACY & REFERRALS ARE PROVIDED TO THE FAMILY DURING THE INTERVIEW. THE FAMILY ADVOCATE PROVIDES ASSESSMENTS AND CASE PLANNING WITH NON-OFFENDING CAREGIVERS. WHEN NEEDED, THE FAMILY ADVOCATE ACCOMPANIES THE CHILD AND FAMILY TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AND COURT HEARINGS. THE FAMILY ADVOCATE ACTS AS THE CHILD AND FAMILYS GO-TO PERSON AND CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THE FAMILY AS A SUPPORT PERSON THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE CASE. TO DATE THE CHCAC HAS ONE FULL TIME AND ONE PART TIME FAMILY ADVOCATE ON STAFF.MEDICAL EXAMS ARE OFFERED TO ANY CHILD THAT WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR. SPECIALLY TRAINED SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINERS (SANE) ARE AVAILABLE NIGHT AND DAY TO CONDUCT ONSITE AND OFFSITE MEDICAL EXAMS. EVEN WHEN NO MEDICAL EVIDENCE IS FOUND, WE WANT EACH CHILD TO KNOW THAT THEIR BODY IS OKAY. TRAUMA THERAPY IS OFFERED ONSITE AND OFFSITE THROUGH OUR TRAUMA-FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA. THIS IS A RESEARCH-BASED, HIGHLY EFFECTIVE THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-18. SPECIALLY TRAINED THERAPISTS WORK WITH CHILDREN AND THEIR NON-OFFENDING CAREGIVERS FOR 8-12 SESSIONS TO ADDRESS THE TRAUMA, LEARN COPING MECHANISMS AND BUILD RESILIENCY. OUR FULL-TIME ONSITE THERAPIST IS ALSO ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO ADULTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA THROUGHOUT THEIR CHILDHOOD.COMMUNITY OUTREACH & EDUCATION IS PROVIDED BY CHCAC STAFF, WHO DO SEVERAL COMMUNITY AWARENESS EVENTS EACH YEAR, AS WELL AS PROVIDE IN-SERVICE TRAINING AND EDUCATION TO PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.