Sunflower House

TO SEE SAFE CHILDREN THRIVING IN NURTURING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

CHILD ASSESSMENT PROGRAM: SUNFLOWER HOUSE'S CHILD ASSESSMENT PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE AND THEIR FAMILIES RECEIVE THEIR BEST CHANCE AT JUSTICE AND HEALING. THE PROGRAM WORKS TOWARD THIS GOAL BY COORDINATING A COLLABORATIVE RESPONSE TO CHILD SEXUAL OR PHYSICAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT, CHILD PROTECTION WORKERS, MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, VICTIM ADVOCATES, AND PROSECUTORS. ONCE A CHILD IN JOHNSON OR WYANDOTTE COUNTIES MAKES A DISCLOSURE OF ABUSE AND IT IS REPORTED TO LOCAL CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT, A REFERRAL IS MADE TO SUNFLOWER HOUSE. OUR INTERVIEW SPECIALISTS CONDUCT CHILD-SENSITIVE INTERVIEWS OF ALLEGED CHILD VICTIMS USING PROVEN FORENSIC PRACTICES. SUNFLOWER HOUSE COORDINATES SPECIALIZED MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS BY FORENSIC MEDICAL PROVIDERS, AND MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY, AVAILABLE ONSITE THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH PACES, A LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER, OR OTHER QUALIFIED TRAUMA-FOCUSED THERAPISTS IN THE COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, THE FAMILIES RECEIVE ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT SERVICES FROM SUNFLOWER HOUSE FAMILY ADVOCATES FOR AS LONG AS NEEDED. FROM JULY 2020-JUNE 2021, SUNFLOWER HOUSE CONDUCTED 490 FORENSIC INTERVIEWS FOR 484 CHILDREN, 372 CAREGIVERS WERE GIVEN FAMILY ADVOCACY SERVICES. IN ADDITION, THE SUNFLOWER HOUSE FORENSIC INTERVIEWERS PREPARED FOR 13 COURT CASES, ATTENDED COURT ON 6 OCCASIONS, AND TESTIFIED IN COURT 5 TIMES. THE COURT SYSTEM DID NOT HOLD TRIALS DURING MUCH OF THE REPORTING PERIOD . OUR NUMBERS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR WERE IMPACTED BY COVID-19. SUNFLOWER HOUSE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SERVICES DURING THE PANDEMIC. MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE ON-SITE THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH PACES, A COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE THERAPISTS ARE TRAINED IN EVIDENCED BASED PRACTICES FOCUSING ON THE TREATMENT OF TRAUMA FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. SUNFLOWER HOUSE INTRODUCED A NEW PROGRAM FOR THE TREATMENT OF PROBLEMATIC SEXUAL BEHAVIORS FOR CHILDREN AGES 7-12. 193 CHILDREN AND 27 ADULTS PARTICIPATED IN THERAPY SERVICES. DUE TO THE CHALLENGES OF COVID-19, THERAPY SERVICES WERE OFFERED IN PERSON AND VIA TELEHEALTH. 2,897 HOURS OF THERAPY SERVICES WERE PROVIDED FROM JULY 2020-JUNE 2021, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

EDUCATION PROGRAM: SUNFLOWER HOUSE PARTNERS WITH MORE THAN 175 JOHNSON AND WYANDOTTE COUNTY SCHOOLS AND PRESCHOOLS TO PROVIDE PERSONAL SAFETY AND SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, THE HAPPY BEAR PLAY, TEACHES 4-7 YEAR OLDS TO RECOGNIZE, RESIST AND REPORT CHILD ABUSE TO A TRUSTED ADULT. LET'S TALK, THINK FIRST AND STAY SAFE, LET'S CYBERCHAT, AND ABUSIVE HEAD TRAUMA ARE OFFERED TO ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH AND TEACH AGE-APPROPRIATE PERSONAL SAFETY AT AGES WHEN CHILDREN ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO SEXUAL ABUSE. PROFESSIONALS ARE TAUGHT THEIR LEGAL MANDATED REPORTER RESPONSIBILITIES, HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF MALTREATMENT, AND REPORTING PROCESSES. OTHER PROGRAMS OFFERED TO ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY INCLUDED KEEPING KIDS SAFE ONLINE AND STEWARDS OF CHILDREN. FROM JULY 2020-JUNE 2021, SUNFLOWER HOUSE PROVIDED 15,902 CHILDREN/ADOLESCENTS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES ON PERSONAL SAFETY. 2,750 PROFESSIONALS AND ADULTS WERE PROVIDED EDUCATION REGARDING TOPICS SUCH AS MANDATED REPORTER TRAINING AND KEEPING KIDS SAFE ONLINE. ALL EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. WITH MANY SCHOOLS PROVIDING EDUCATION VIRTUALLY IN THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR, NUMBERS OF PRESENTATIONS WERE IMPACTED. HOWEVER, THE EDUCATION TEAM QUICKLY MOVED THE EDUCATION PROGRAM TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.