Child Advocacy Center and Jacksonville North Pulaski School District Host Press Conference to Announce Construction of Second Child Facility to Treat Child Abuse
Second location to focus on the coordinated response to child abuse and victim support to northern part of the county.
Jacksonville, AR – Children’s Protection Center (CPC), in conjunction with the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District (JNPSD), will host a press conference at 10 a.m. on Monday, December 18 to share more details about the center’s opening on February 1, 2024. The event will be held at the former Pinewood Elementary School at 1919 Northeastern Avenue in Jacksonville.
CPC is partnering with JNPSD to bring services to child abuse victims in the North Pulaski County area. Renovation of the new space in Pinewood Elementary, a former school building that will house CPC’s new location, began last Thursday and the District School Board has pledged $250,000. The total cost for the CPC expansion and renovation project is $1.5 million, of which $781,000 has been raised, including the pledge from the district and other supporters.
This innovative partnership between a school district and a child advocacy center will help children find the very unique services they need to heal while receiving sensitivity and competent care from a team of specially trained experts.
CPC provides compassionate care to children and their families to overcome the trauma of abuse. All these services are at no cost to families. They include forensic interviewing, medical exams, mental health services, and family advocacy and support.
Due to a record 300% increase in the number of abused children receiving services over the past five years, CPC realized the need to not only expand its current facility, but also to create a satellite facility in north Pulaski County.
“In 2022 we served about 1,020 kids, and what we discovered was that at least one third of our clients lived in the northern part of the county,” says CPC Executive Director Jennifer Long. “Families in the northern part of the county have a hard time accessing the services we offer at our home center in Little Rock. A location in Jacksonville will help us address these barriers to important services, and allow us to help children find hope and healing in the communities in which they live.”
Jacksonville North Pulaski School District Superintendent and CPC board member Jeremy Owoh saw this as the perfect opportunity to collaborate. “We had several spaces that could be utilized and after touring them with the district and CPC leadership, we both felt that the Pinewood location would be perfect,” shared Owoh. “It currently houses our professional development services and it will be an asset to have CPC nearby to not only provide these much needed services, but to also train the district staff on recognizing and reporting abuse.”
CPC is the only organization in Pulaski County that offers a coordinated approach to child abuse investigations, advocacy services, and educational programs. CPC offers a structured, multi-disciplinary approach that includes local law enforcement, DHS workers, prosecutors, state police investigators, medical professionals and mental health counselors. CPC also ensures services are not duplicated and resources are shared. For more information visit childrensprotectioncenter.org.
Jacksonville North Pulaski School District includes Pre-K, Elementary, and Secondary Schools and is committed to fostering a culture of ownership and accountability through partnerships that create multiple pathways for success. For more information visit jnpsd.org.