Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center, Inc.
Healing Little Hearts
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Child abuse is a major problem – and a major concern – for communities across our nation. We all know that the problem exists. The real question becomes: “What happens to a child victim once he or she discloses?” Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center (PPCAC) was created to ensure that child victims of abuse could access all the services they need following abuse in one central location. Previously, children were expected to recount their history of abuse multiple times to multiple people. This experience was both traumatic for the child and created a host of problems in the criminal investigation. By streamlining and providing all the services children and their families need, PPCAC improves case outcomes, reduces trauma to child victims, and is an indispensable resource for child abuse investigators. PPCAC provides forensic interviews, medical care, advocacy support and counseling to child victims of abuse and their caregivers. All services are provided at no cost to a child's families.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Family Advocacy
Our Family Advocacy Program provides an on-going, supportive relationship to our children and their families who are affected by sexual abuse. Our family advocates shepherd the family through the entire investigation process from beginning to end; assisting with appointment scheduling, crisis intervention, victim's compensation filing, domestic violence intervention, court support, transportation, linking to community resources, and most importantly, simply listening to the family. They are the first to greet our children when they arrive at Pat’s Place and the last to see them leave.
For our community partners who are also working with the child, our family advocates coordinate the information-sharing process to help every child receive the individualized care they need. For the family, our advocates serve as the "touch-point", keeping them informed and addressing any concerns or fears they might have on both a fact-based and holistic level. In addition, our advocates offer support groups for children who are victims of abuse, as well as groups for non-offending caregivers.
Depending on the individual case, prosecution, and therapy options, our family advocates can work with a family for as little as a couple of weeks to as long as they need us.
Forensic Interviewing
A forensic interview is conducted at Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center when there has been a report to law enforcement or the Department of Social Services that the child may have been a victim of physical or sexual abuse or when a child may have witnessed a violent crime.
A forensic interview is a structured conversation with a child intended to elicit detailed information about events that the child may have experienced or witnessed. It takes place in a neutral, child-friendly location designed to help the child feel comfortable. A forensic interview provides the child with an opportunity to tell their story in their own words. It is not an interrogation, but rather a conversation tailored specifically to the child's age, development level, and any special needs.
Some purposes of a forensic interview are:
To obtain information that will either corroborate or refute allegations or suspicions of abuse and neglect
To obtain information from a child that may be useful in a legal proceeding
To assess the safety of the child’s living arrangements
To assess the need for medical treatment and psychological care
Our forensic interviews are conducted by masters-level, clinically licensed social workers who have received advanced training on the forensic interviewing of child victims/witnesses. The forensic interviewers routinely participate in peer review to continually develop their skills and attend ongoing professional training.
During the interview, designated professionals involved with the case such as law enforcement and social services are able to watch a live feed of the interview in a separate observation room. This concept is a key element of the child advocacy center model of care that better ensures the child will not have to endure the trauma of multiple interviews by multiple agencies. Recordings of the interview can later be obtained to aid in court proceedings.
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Coordination
The primary goal of Pat’s Place and all children advocacy centers is to ensure that the child disclosing abuse is not further victimized by the intervention systems designed to protect them. Under this model of care, a multidisciplinary team (MDT) is formed by all of the various entities involved in the child abuse intervention system; law enforcement, criminal justice, child protective service, medical health workers, mental health workers, and victim advocacy. This team of community partners come together at the direction of Pat’s Place once a week to discuss our children’s cases and make decisions based on combined information to better ensure a child is being served to the best of our abilities and that no child falls through the cracks.
The Multidisciplinary Team concept was a core aspect of the original Child Advocacy Center model developed by Former Congressman Robert E. "Bud" Cramer (AL), who was then a District Attorney during the early 1980’s. After much discussion, it was determined that the various agencies and departments responsible for the protection of children must be united in a collaborative effort, that no one agency by itself could assure the protection of children, and only by working as a multidisciplinary team could we effectively respond to child abuse. To learn more, go to the National Child Advocacy Center’s website.
Prevention and Education
Prevention, Education, and Community Outreach
Our staff conducts ongoing education and prevention services for interested groups on child sexual abuse, prevention, safety and protection, mandated reporting, and internet safety. Please call us to schedule a presentation for your civic club, organization, school group, municipal office, daycare, hospital, or anyone else who might be interested and work with children and families. For more information, contact Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center.
Darkness to Light
Darkness to Light® Stewards of Children is a revolutionary sexual abuse prevention training that educates adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child abuse. The program believes and teaches that child safety is an adult’s job. Stewards of Children is designed for organizations that serve children and youth. It is the only child abuse prevention training that offers a certification, resource materials, and practical steps to preventing abuse. For more information, contact Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center.
National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to recognize that we each can play a part in preventing child abuse. Check back in the coming months for a list of activities and programs that Pat’s Place will be hosting.
Medical Evaluation
Medical Evaluations are conducted at Pat's Place through a partnership with Levine Children's Hospital Pediatric Resource Center by medical providers who specialize in child maltreatment. A medical exam is offered to any child who has allegations or concerns of abuse.
The purpose of the exam is to collect evidence and document trauma if present (especially in acute cases). The exam is also used to assess for and treat sexually transmitted infections, injuries, and pregnancy. Most importantly, it is performed to reassure the child and family that his/her body is okay.
The medical exam takes place at Pat’s Place in a child friendly examination room. The exam includes relating a medical history from the caregiver as well as from the child. The child then receives a thorough head to toe exam similar to a "well-child" exam, encompassing the child's entire well-being. Our specialized providers run lab work including blood draws, pregnancy screenings, urine analysis, STD testing, and screening for developmental delays and/or other health conditions.
Beyond the physical component of the exam, our medical providers help assure parents that their child is healthy and that if abuse has occurred, it will not be visible to others. Our providers offer extensive, one-on-one consultation not received during a regular doctor's visit and take as much time as necessary to help the children by explaining each step of the check-up and finding ways to put the child at ease.
Mental Health Counseling
Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center provides trauma-informed, therapy services tailored to the unique needs and situations of children and adolescents who have suffered abuse and received forensic services at the center. Additionally, this programs work to support the recovery of family members and to improve their ability to support the child.
Pat’s Place offers several treatment options including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), play therapy, and trauma-informed individual, family, and group therapy. Trauma–informed therapy helps children and adolescents and their caregivers to manage feelings, talk about the trauma, and develop plans for feeling safe in the future. Parents and guardians participate in the majority of their child’s sessions in order to add to their child’s sense of support in the healing process as well as share and learn about their own emotional responses to the trauma.
Human Trafficking Outreach and Intervention
Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center provides leadership for community efforts to enhance the prevention, identification, and response to victims of human trafficking and exploitation. Pat’s Place works closely with our community partners to ensure that Mecklenburg County’s response to suspected or identified victims of human trafficking is coordinated, comprehensive, and employs trauma-informed practices. Strategies include community-developed response guidelines, professional and community education, increased identification and assessment, and data collection.
These efforts build upon the work that was accomplished via Project NO REST. An initiative of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work, Project NO REST was a statewide project intended to increase the awareness of and enhance the response to human trafficking of North Carolina youth and young adults through age 25. The project plan tested best practices in 17 counties through five pilot sites, including Mecklenburg County. Pat’s Place is honored to have served as the lead agency for Project NO REST in Mecklenburg County.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
National Children's Alliance - Associate Member 2002
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of groups brought together in a coalition/alliance/partnership
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Coordination
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Pat's Place and other partner organizations work closely to investigate, prosecute and treat the most serious cases of child abuse in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Forensic Interviewing
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Pat's Place provides comprehensive services to child victims of sexual abuse, serious physical abuse, and children witnessing violence or homicide. All services are provided at no cost .
Number of evidence-based therapy services provided to children.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Caregivers
Related Program
Mental Health Counseling
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
PPCAC offers a variety of services ranging from crisis intervention and assessment, to group, family, and individual therapy of child victims, siblings and non-offending caregivers.
Number of Forensic Interviews provided to children.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Conducted at the request of police or child services, forensic interviews minimize trauma to children by reducing the number of times a child is interviewed during the investigation of child abuse.
Number of individuals attending community events or trainings
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Parents
Related Program
Prevention and Education
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Pat's Place provides education and training to professionals and members of the general public, teaching them how to recognize the signs/symptoms of abuse and ultimately prevent it from occurring.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center created a strategic plan for fiscal years 2017-2019 to further our vision to end child sexual abuse in Mecklenburg County. Our mission is to protect and heal children, unite key partners, and engage the community to end child abuse. Four key goals were outlined as priorities by the 2015 Board and staff in support of the vision and mission of the organization. This plan is reviewed and updated semi-annually by the board of directors and leadership team.
1. Programs and Partnerships: Fully serve the growing needs of Mecklenburg County with respect to child abuse.
We will work in partnership with all multidisciplinary partners to ensure a collaborative, coordinated process to include forensic interview and medical evaluation for all sexually abused children in Mecklenburg County and timely access to support and trauma informed treatment services. Adults in both supporting agencies as well as the general public will be educated about child sexual abuse prevention to understand their role in recognizing the signs, reporting, and identification of effective child safety policies within child serving organizations.
2. Operational Excellence and Leadership: Increase and improve quality and efficiency throughout all levels of the organization.
We will benchmark and adhere to best practices in finance, governance, and internal operations. We will attract and retain qualified, skilled, and talented board members, staff, and volunteers.
3. Visibility and Awareness: Increase external visibility, awareness and advocacy impact at the local, state and national level.
We will drive awareness and advocacy for evidence based service delivery and public policy that contributes to preventing and ending child sexual abuse. We will expand and enhance communication efforts to drive increased visibility, education and community engagement.
4. Financial Resources: Ensure long-term financial health and sustainability of the organization.
We will ensure long term sustainability through diverse revenue streams with an emphasis on engaging, stewarding and cultivating individual donors. We will adhere to best practices in philanthropy and sound fiscal and reserve policies.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The intent of the strategic plan is to provide a path to achieve our goals while allowing for flexibility to adapt and change the plan based on the ever-changing external environment. It is expected that this will be a living document that will change over time. Our team, along with the Board of Directors will work to update and extend our strategic plan through 2021. The Strategy Committee will remain in place for at least an additional year to ensure continuity in reporting and plan review. Champions are responsible for providing regular Committee and Board updates for assigned strategies. Goal reporting by the Executive Director and/or Champion(s) will follow the Board meeting calendar. The plan may be used to supplement staff annual performance reviews, but should not be the only measure of success.
Ongoing, regular plan review and reflection is necessary to assess achievement to goal, for plan modification based on data analysis and to maintain the plan relevant to changing community and organizational dynamics. A formal, annual assessment of the plan, including resource needs and requirements for each goal area, will be completed during the budgeting process. This is typically completed between March and June of the calendar year to reflect the start of the new fiscal year on July 1st.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Staff members and the board of directors are involved in the strategic planning process and its implementation. Each board meeting agenda follows the goals outlined in the strategic plan, so updates are regular and timely.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Expansion of Therapy Services:
In October 2016, PPCAC undertook the most significant expansion of direct services in our program's history. Financial support from the Governor's Crime Commission enabled PPCAC to add three new positions to our clinical services program - a full-time therapist, part-time therapist, and a Family Advocate Associate. We successfully recruited of a bilingual/bi-cultural therapist so that children and families who speak Spanish were able to receive all the clinical services they need on-site. In October 2019, we moved our therapy services to a new facility, The Healing Center. Located directly across the street from PPCAC, this project allows us to better serve even more children and families.
This ensures child victims of abuse and their caregivers have access to trauma-informed individual, family and group counseling that support emotional healing after trauma. Our clinicians will provide evidenced-based treatment to children and their caregivers impacted by sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, or exposure to violence. The number of children seen for outpatient clinical services at PPCAC will increase from 30 to 100 annually. Approximately 1050 individual, family or group counseling sessions will be provided annually to children and their supportive caregivers. All services are provided at no cost to a child's family.
Enhanced Community Protocol:
PPCAC is spearheading the development and implementation of a new community protocol for investigating serious cases of child abuse with a target implementation date of April 2019. The Mecklenburg County Child Sexual Abuse Investigation and Intervention Guidelines serve as a working agreement between partner agencies in the investigation, assessment and intervention in incidents of suspected child sexual abuse. These guidelines are intended to promote a high level of coordination, cooperation and interaction between the agencies and parties involved. The guidelines provide a framework for coordinating investigations and promoting communication between the participants, reducing multiple interviews and duplicative services. A highly coordinated response better protects the interest of children.
Human Trafficking Initiative:
In 2016, Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center was selected at the lead agency for a 2-year Human Trafficking coordination grant to expand anti-trafficking outreach efforts and facilitate collaboration across professional disciplines and partner agencies. The agency's current strategic plan prioritizes the development and improvement of community-wide human trafficking protocols, outreach efforts, and trauma-informed care for victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children which is why PPCAC has since hired a full-time Human Trafficking Outreach Coordinator.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 01/12/2023
Chris Socha
Edifice
Term: 2024 - 2022
Katrina Graue
Bank of America
Pearlynn Houck
Robinson Bradshaw
Anne Brady Moore Carlson
Community Activist
Gabriel J. Esparza
Office of International Trade, US SBA
Deborah Majewski
The Leon Levine Foundation
Otis Ku
Bank of America / Merrill Lynch
Henry Beards
UPS
Dr. Stacy H. Nicholson
Atrium Health, Levine Children's Hospital
Jose Vega
Bradley
Laura Fahrney
Ridgemont Equity Partners
Pia Millican
PIA International, LLC
Chris Socha
Edifice
Dr. Otto D. Harris, III
St. Mark's United Methodist Church
Dr. Jacqueline McKnight
Child & Family Services, Mecklenburg County
Dr. Cotrane Penn
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Jeanette Sims
Community Volunteer
Dr. Erin Trakas
Novant Health
Kathy Wholley
Domtar
Chris Williams
First Horizon Bank
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/12/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.