News

Agencies merge to create a safe haven for children

Program Director Andi Craven shows off the family room at Believe Child Advocacy Center, noting its circus tent and kitchen made just for kids. 'The family room provides a comfortable place for children to wait during a not-so-happy time,' Craven says.

By Ashley Elder, Published: January 14, 2016

Until now, children in Henderson County thought to be victims of abuse had to go to Asheville to be examined, adding to the trauma.

Now, with the opening of the new Believe Child Advocacy Center, those children will be served closer to home, and in an environment that is as comforting and supportive as possible.
“This facility makes a big difference to children and their families,” said Executive Director Tanya Blackford. “The sooner we can make children feel safe the better.”
After months of behind-the-scenes work, Mainstay and the Healing Place merged to offer the new facility, called Believe, that provides local assistance to children who are victims of abuse.
“Up until the merger, Henderson was one of the few counties that provided separate services,” Blackford said. “Now we can have a greater community impact and provide more for less.”
As one result of the merger, the CAC will allow children and their families to get the therapy they need without having to travel outside the county.
“We all want to see children protected,” Blackford said. “The investigative piece and mental health services are all in one place now.”

When a report of severe child abuse comes in to law enforcement, the law officers will contact the Believe Child Advocacy Center so it can assist the child and family involved.
The center provides forensic child medical exams to discover sexual abuse or any kind of physical trauma. Soon the medical exam room will look more like a pediatric office, with colors and decorations that make children feel more at ease.
“If something terrible happens, we want to make children as comfortable as possible,” Blackford said.

Believe, now in renovated offices at Fifth Avenue West, aims to reunite families sooner than in the past.
Henderson County currently has 157 children in DSS custody, according to Andi Craven, program director for the Child Advocacy Center.
Formerly an investigator at DSS, Craven said it used to take four to six weeks to get an appointment for a child to be examined in Buncombe County.
Another month could pass before multiple interviews with a child to draw out the full story, leaving the family, DSS and law enforcement in limbo.
No matter how kind they may be, police officers can be intimidating to children. “Imagine being a child having these conversations,” Craven said.
Believe has a sparsely furnished room for forensic interviews, which are recorded and shown to a multidisciplinary team of professionals including law officers, social workers and the physician, who can use the interview to direct the medical exam.
The children “can tell their story one time and know they will be believed,” Blackford said.
The recorded interview can also be shown to a jury should the case go to trial.
“We all want prosecution for child abusers,” Blackford said.
The whole process of caring for children and getting them the help they need has become more streamlined and less time consuming now that the new agency provides these services all in one place.
“I’m excited that our community can now help our children,” Craven said.
The child advocacy center also provides non-offending caregivers with the education and services they need to properly care for children who have been abused.
They will learn how to deal with their child’s experience, as well as address any issues of their own.
“It is remarkable when organizations and institutions can come together without any gain,” Blackford said.
Believe was created quickly with little resources and lots of partner contributions, such as a grant from the Community Foundation.
Partners include District Attorney Greg Newman, Eric Bush, executive director of the Department of Social Services; Mental Health Liaison Kathy Bivens, Steve Smith, executive director of the Henderson County Health Department, and Travis Johnson, a xxxxxxxxx trained to provide the medical examinations. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and the Hendersonville, Fletcher and Laurel Park police have strongly supported the CAC from the beginning.
“This community has always come together to take care of each other and I’m happy to be part of the next generation of that,” Craven said.