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The Center for Children and Families is redefining the way children in crisis are being served in communities throughout Louisiana. What began in 1999 as a tiny back room office, has now grown into a thriving, nationally recognized non-profit agency that stands as a beacon of hope for those in crisis situations. Our passion is to promote safe, healthy environments through advocacy, counseling, education and prevention.
Our agency consists of four programs, CASA of Northeast Louisiana, The Children's Advocacy Center of Northeast Louisiana, Therapeutic Services, and The Delta Initiative:
Our agency consists of four programs, CASA of Northeast Louisiana, The Children's Advocacy Center of Northeast Louisiana, Therapeutic Services, and The Delta Initiative:
When a child is removed from his or her home due to abuse or neglect, a CASA is appointed to serve as the voice for this child, acting as the eyes and ears for a judge and giving insight to what is in the child’s best interest. A CASA volunteer can make the difference between moving from temporary houses to a safe, permanent home, between dropping out and completing school, between unemployment and success, between serving time and serving the community as a happy, productive member of society. Our trained staff are there every step of the way supporting, educating, and empowering each advocate.
The Children's Advocacy Center of Northeast Louisiana (CAC) is designed to provide a unified approach to conducting forensic interviews for child and mentally challenged adult victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, human trafficking, or witnesses to violent crimes. We are then able to connect them with counseling services to begin the process of healing.
Before the CAC, these victims would have to talk about their experience to several different agencies and officials. The victim could be moved all over the region to numerous different locations in order to fulfill all of the required examinations, interviews and assessments. Now, the CAC works to collaborate the efforts of all the agencies and officials who are involved in child victim cases in order for the process to be less traumatizing to the innocent.
All of the necessary steps— assessments, forensic interviews, medical exams, and victim support services, are conducted in one location. Everyone works together for one common goal of protection and healing. It is through this process that the CAC hopes to relieve some of the strain and trauma from those who have suffered through no fault of their own. **CAC services can only be accessed through law enforcement or social services.
Before the CAC, these victims would have to talk about their experience to several different agencies and officials. The victim could be moved all over the region to numerous different locations in order to fulfill all of the required examinations, interviews and assessments. Now, the CAC works to collaborate the efforts of all the agencies and officials who are involved in child victim cases in order for the process to be less traumatizing to the innocent.
All of the necessary steps— assessments, forensic interviews, medical exams, and victim support services, are conducted in one location. Everyone works together for one common goal of protection and healing. It is through this process that the CAC hopes to relieve some of the strain and trauma from those who have suffered through no fault of their own. **CAC services can only be accessed through law enforcement or social services.
The Center for Children and Families has developed innovative treatment programs that specifically target fractured family relationships. Services are delivered in the natural environment to ensure that the therapist is able to fully participate in activating resources available to families. Our ultimate goal is to empower families to build an environment that promotes family stability through a process of utilization and creativity that incorporates indigenous family and community strengths.
The treatment programs serve families that are faced with the most challenging conditions and circumstances in our region. Our clients, who are referred from agencies including the Department of Children and Family Services, the Office of Juvenile Justice, school systems, local courts, and other treatment providers, are at risk of being removed from their homes because of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect or other criminal behavior. The Northeast Louisiana region is considered one of the most impoverished areas of the United States, which creates an added need for treatment aimed at social justice, advocacy, and resourcefulness.
The treatment programs serve families that are faced with the most challenging conditions and circumstances in our region. Our clients, who are referred from agencies including the Department of Children and Family Services, the Office of Juvenile Justice, school systems, local courts, and other treatment providers, are at risk of being removed from their homes because of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect or other criminal behavior. The Northeast Louisiana region is considered one of the most impoverished areas of the United States, which creates an added need for treatment aimed at social justice, advocacy, and resourcefulness.
The Delta Initiative is a cutting edge community outreach project designed to catalyze lasting change in the Mississippi Delta Region. The pilot for this project has been generously funded by the COMO foundation of Franklin Parish. The work presently happening in Franklin Parish will become a model for intervention regionally and nationally. Program implementation is laid out in three phases, each lasting approximately one year.
Phase one is focused on community restoration and family engagement through intensive family therapy and advocacy. Families are served individually in their home by masters level clinicians trained to intervene in the toughest of circumstances. Families will also participate in therapeutic family nights designed to build skills and develop community wide resources. This evidence based model has proven incredibly effective in the region as a ground for community transformation.
Phase two is a Restorative Justice project designed to divert youth from the criminal justice system into a community based rehabilitation program. The program works to establish and rehabilitate community ties and build in the youth a sense of responsibility, accountability and citizenship. The program is designed to save state and local governments the significant costs associated with treating youth in the context of the justice system.
Phase three will involve the creation of vocational training programs designed to take the community’s at risk youth from secondary school into a stable, paying job. Our experience in the region has suggested much of the youth lack the necessary soft skills and resources to succeed in traditional educational settings. This piece of the program is designed to use mentoring and community involvement in conjunction with partnerships with local businesses and educational institutions to build a bridge to productive citizenship.
Phase one is focused on community restoration and family engagement through intensive family therapy and advocacy. Families are served individually in their home by masters level clinicians trained to intervene in the toughest of circumstances. Families will also participate in therapeutic family nights designed to build skills and develop community wide resources. This evidence based model has proven incredibly effective in the region as a ground for community transformation.
Phase two is a Restorative Justice project designed to divert youth from the criminal justice system into a community based rehabilitation program. The program works to establish and rehabilitate community ties and build in the youth a sense of responsibility, accountability and citizenship. The program is designed to save state and local governments the significant costs associated with treating youth in the context of the justice system.
Phase three will involve the creation of vocational training programs designed to take the community’s at risk youth from secondary school into a stable, paying job. Our experience in the region has suggested much of the youth lack the necessary soft skills and resources to succeed in traditional educational settings. This piece of the program is designed to use mentoring and community involvement in conjunction with partnerships with local businesses and educational institutions to build a bridge to productive citizenship.
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