Blog

When Does Abuse End and Assault Begin?

While child sexual abuse can take many forms, it is typical for the child (and family) to know the offender. The offender uses this relationship to “groom” the child so… Continue Reading

Measuring Success in Addressing Child Abuse

I’ll never forget the way people used to look at me when I would tell them that we had a successful year at our Children’s Advocacy Center because there was… Continue Reading

Finding Our Voice

I’m a millennial. It’s a characterization I balk against for all its negative connotations, but thanks to Mom, Dad, and 1983, I am one. And for all the challenging characteristics… Continue Reading

Why I Give

Some might say I don’t fit the profile. I don’t work at a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), or even in child welfare. I’m not a researcher connecting the dots between child… Continue Reading

An Open Letter to Warriors

At 10 a.m., on July 12, 2016, I was given the chance to use my voice against something that has kept me silent for years. I testified against my grandfather, who… Continue Reading

The Coda of Abuse

As a concert pianist, I have the opportunity to perform music I love for people all over the world. It is a dream. It is a joy beyond words. But… Continue Reading

Is Treatment a Four-Letter Word?

Sometimes I wonder if treatment is considered a four-letter word. Over the past 11 years, I’ve partnered with the Harford County Children’s Advocacy Center here north of Baltimore, providing treatment… Continue Reading

Treatment Starts with Assessment. Assessment Starts with Engagement.

NCA’s new Standards for Accredited Members call for an initial standardized mental health assessment and periodic re-assessment of children which serve to inform treatment. Every discussion about assessment (or screening) must be… Continue Reading

Supporting “Grandfamilies”

When grandparents raise their grandchildren, there is a new word for it.  It’s called a “grandfamily.” And the number of grandfamilies is on the rise—up over 30% in recent years. According to… Continue Reading

Growing Mental Health Access Through Systems Change

Six years ago, I sat in a room in Chicago with some of my staff, a funder, and a group of mental health providers, contemplating the dilemma we were facing… Continue Reading