Homer, Alaska - News - Child Advocacy Center opens in Kenai; Haven House director to oversee project 11/12/08

Story last updated at 9:40 PM on Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Child Advocacy Center opens in Kenai; Haven House director to oversee project

By Mike Nesper
Morris News Service - Alaska

For more than a decade, several people from several organizations have been working together to bring a child advocacy center to the Kenai Peninsula. Last month, that dream was realized.

The Kenai Peninsula Child Advocacy Center held its "kickoff" opening Oct. 29 at the public health building in Kenai, said Peg Coleman, executive director of Haven House in Homer.

"Child victims of sexual assault shouldn't be forced to fit the adult model," Coleman said about opening the CAC.

Co-located with the Sexual Assault Response Team program, the CAC has a child-friendly room where kids can talk about their experience with abuse without being re-traumatized, Coleman said.

The CAC has a trained forensic interviewer and several digital cameras set up so children only have to tell their story once. The CAC also allows kids to be interviewed outside of the police station.

"We don't believe kids should have to go to Anchorage to get the best possible care," Coleman said.

Coleman, who's been working at Haven House for four years, said a CAC opened in Homer, too. Coleman will be overseeing both CACs on the peninsula.

The CAC will have a family advocate to help families going through this difficult time as well as to assist them with the legal process, Coleman said. Haven House recently hired Jessica Lawmaster to be a forensic child investigator and the child advocacy coordinator for the Kenai Peninsula.

"It's a very passionate, sensible approach," she said. "We want to minimize anything that might re-traumatize a family."

The CAC also will provide information about abuse to the community, Coleman said.

Central Peninsula Hospital, the police department and the district attorney's office all collaborated on the Kenai CAC project, Coleman said. All parties involved were great to work with and helpful, she said.

Being located beside the SART clinic is a great advantage, Coleman said. She said CAC provides the emotional care for the children whereas SART provides the physical care.

Coleman said she's seen a need for a CAC on the peninsula. She also said the services provided by the CAC will be done in a compassionate and economically responsible way.

According to Coleman, Alaska has the highest rate of child abuse and neglect in the United States. She also said an Alaska child is six times more likely than the national average to die a violent death.

"We're really, really happy to bring this to the communities," she said. "We're not only supporting the community better, we're also supporting each other."

For more information, call Haven House at 235-7712 or send an e-mail to sphh@alaska.net.

Mike Nesper is a reporter for the Peninsula Clarion.

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