SAFE HARBOR CHILDRENS ADVOCACY CENT

Safe Harbor offers a variety of services and resources to child victims and their families under one roof to eliminate the need for them to repeat their story to multiple people in multiple places. Without Safe Harbor programs, a child alleging abuse would be interviewed separately by each investigative party – law enforcement, child protective services, and the prosecutor’s office. Each time a child must retell his or her story it re-victimizes the child and creates additional trauma. Our goal is that each child will only have to tell their story once. Through teaching and training, coordinating funds and services, providing protection, offering medical care and counseling, investigating and prosecuting those responsible, and by offering children a safe harbor in which to heal, children find the hope, help, and healing they deserve at Safe Harbor CAC.

The children who are seen at Safe Harbor take part in a coordinated child abuse investigation where professionals from law enforcement, Child Protective Services, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, medical and mental health professionals at Safe Harbor, and the community, all come together to help victims. We provide the hope and healing the children and families need in our community through our three core programs. The Children’s Advocacy Center provides a safe and child-friendly atmosphere to allow a child to disclose their sexual or severe physical abuse and to begin their healing journey through advocacy, therapy, and medical examinations. The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program trains volunteers who are then assigned by an Allegan County Judge to represent the best interest of an abused or neglected child throughout the family court process. The Prevention Education program teaches children body safety and educates adults about how to recognize and report child abuse.

Our centralized, welcoming environment allows us to provide hope and healing to children and their families through forensic interviews, counseling, medical examinations, victim advocacy, prevention education, and court advocacy. From a child’s initial disclosure to their last day of counseling, Safe Harbor guides them through their entire journey of healing. Because no child should have to pay for the abuse they have suffered, all of these services are provided free of charge to child victims and their families. To help accomplish our goals, Safe Harbor coordinates with the Child Abuse Investigation Team of Allegan County. This multidisciplinary team is composed of law enforcement, child protective services, the prosecutor’s office, medical and mental health providers, and Safe Harbor staff. This team also meets on a monthly basis to review the progress of each case and to determine the next steps.

Each year over 360 children come into Safe Harbor seeking hope and healing. Last year 366 children shared their stories of suspected abuse with our forensic interviewer. 20 children were connected with a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer to be a voice for them in family court. 47 children received a medical body safety check by a child abuse pediatrician from the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Our children’s therapist worked with 63 children individually to help them through their healing journey. 8 Mandated Reporter Trainings taught 159 adults how to better protect children. Our Prevention Educator provided 5,033 children with information to help protect themselves from abuse and neglect through our body safety program. Since opening our doors in 1983, Safe Harbor has touched the lives of thousands of children in our community. Our agency has experienced significant growth, and will be renovating a new building during our 2019-2020 Capital Campaign to better meet the needs of the children and families in our community who need us most.