Advocacy center is here for the children

A group of folks have come together to offer comfort and hope during what would be one of the most trying times in a child’s life.

Southmountain Children and Family Services has established a Child Advocacy Center in McDowell County, and Southmountain staff and local dignitaries were on hand Wednesday morning for a dedication and open house at the facility at 378 S. Main St. in Marion.

The purpose of the local center, named The Gingerbread House of McDowell County, is to coordinate the efforts of the various agencies that are called into action in child abuse cases. The multidisciplinary team is comprised of representatives from the Department of Social Services, local law enforcement agencies, the district attorney’s office, mental health groups, etc.

Basically, by joining these people, they are able to share information about cases, which eliminates the need for multiple interviews with a young victim and reduces the child’s anxiety.

The group meets once a week to share information they’ve gathered about cases.

At The Gingerbread House, trained professionals interview children, conduct forensic medical exams and help victims and their families begin the healing process. It’s all done in one building; families don’t have to go from one facility to another.

            The local center is the brainchild of Southmountain Children and Family Services, which is a community for foster children located near Lake James in western Burke County. They have a child advocacy center in Burke as well.

            Southmountain Executive Director Chris Jernigan said his organization is always looking at ways to better the community.

            “Southmountain is proud to be a community partner with these other agencies,” he stated Wednesday. “We’re glad we could take the lead on this project. It goes along with our mission: providing pathways of change. We feel this is a good change, a better way of investigating child abuse cases. We care about McDowell County, and we’re excited about expanding our services here.”

            Jernigan added that Southmountain and The Gingerbread House are nonprofit groups that operate solely on public funds.

            “With the economy, it’s going to become increasingly important that we have the community’s support,” he told the crowd of about 35 or 40 who attended Wednesday’s celebration.

            McDowell County DSS Director Phillip Hardin said his social workers are very appreciative of the facility.

            “Before this, the work (on child abuse cases) was somewhat fragmented,” he stated, adding that this brings all the agencies involved together for a common goal.

             “We are truly blessed to have a facility like this,” said Investigative Sgt. Rusty Jenkins of the Marion Police Department. “The victims are also grateful.”

            Hardin and Sheriff Dudley Greene said, before The Gingerbread House was established in McDowell, victims would be sent to doctors in Asheville or Morganton and it could take days to get an appointment.

            “Sex abuse is an unfortunate part of the world we live in,” Greene told those in attendance. “As investigators, a lot of our attention is focused on the offenders,” so the new center is good in that it can focus on the victims, he added.

            District Attorney Brad Greenway stated that a common problem for young sex abuse victims is going through multiple interviews – with social workers, detectives, doctors, prosecutors.

            “The parents want to do it once and get it over with,” he said, which is one of the child advocacy center’s goals. “We appreciate that you’re here, and we wish you the best.”

            Michael Jaquins, the director of the local center, explains in further detail how a typical case would move inside of The Gingerbread House.

            He said referrals are made by DSS workers or law enforcement officers. Parents bring the child to the facility, where he conducts an interview and an on-site nurse, Beth Browning, performs a medical exam.

            “It’s done one family at a time, so no one is having to wait,” Jacquins stated. “We have toys here, so it’s more like home than a hospital or a police station. … And we give every child a stuffed animal before they leave.”

            Since it opened in February, the local facility has served 91 children, according to Jacquins.

            Browning, who is certified as a sexual assault nurse examiner for both adults and children, has worked for Southmountain and at the child advocacy center in Burke County for many years.

            “I like this environment because you have the time to spend with the children,” she stated. “If it takes four hours, we spend four hours.”

            Rhonda Robbins, the center’s community educator, said they will be offering classes on a regular basis. Coming up are Internet Safety for parents and preteens, Personal Body Safety for preschool through 5 years of age and “Darkness to Light: Stewards of Children” (a child abuse prevention course) for youth-serving organizations and their youngsters. Classes will be provided free or at a minimal cost.

            Anyone who would like to donate to the center, sign up for classes or find out more information can call The Gingerbread House at (828) 527-2124.