Our Services
Advocacy
KARE provides free, tailored support for child victims and their families throughout their case.
KARE is committed to offering a consistent and comprehensive network of support for all child victims and their families. In addition to providing emotional support, our family services advocates provide case management, mental health referrals, court support, and resource coordination to the children and families we serve, all at no charge. These services continue throughout the life of the case, adjusting to the needs of the family over time.
Forensic Interviewing
Forensic interviews gather detailed information from children in a safe, neutral setting at the request of authorities.
A forensic interview is a structured conversation with a child intended to elicit detailed information about a possible event(s) that the child may have experienced or witnessed. At the request of law enforcement or the Haywood County Department of Health and Human Services (DSS), a forensic interview is conducted by a trained professional. These interviews are conducted using a neutral, developmentally appropriate, and culturally-sensitive approach that allows the child to share their narrative in a safe, child-friendly environment.
Specialized Medical Evaluations
Children at KARE can access specialized medical exams, crucial for supporting investigations and prosecutions.
Children who receive a forensic interview at KARE have access to specialized medical exams conducted by trained medical professionals. While not all children require them, they can be crucial for the prosecution of many cases. By offering these services, we play a vital role in the investigative process, supporting the wellbeing and protection of children in our community.
Multi-disciplinary Team Facilitation
The CAC model uses a coordinated, multi-disciplinary team approach to support child abuse victims and minimize further trauma.
At the core of the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) model is a coordinated response designed to support child victims of abuse and their families, aiming to minimize further trauma. This approach is implemented through a multi-disciplinary team of professionals from social services, law enforcement, prosecution, medical and mental health services, family advocacy, and forensic interviewing.
Mental Health Therapy
Mental health therapy at KARE offers child victims a safe space to heal with trauma-informed care at no cost.
Mental health therapy is an important step on the path of healing for many child victims who have experienced abuse, neglect, or exploitation. It gives them the opportunity to continue processing in a safe space with a trained clinician who can provide support and reassurance that the child is going to be ok, even after going through a terrible situation.
KARE currently has two mental health clinicians on staff who offer trauma-informed, evidence-based therapies for children who have been through our victim advocacy services. There is no charge for mental health therapy at KARE.
Trainings
KARE offers tailored trainings on child abuse prevention, including specialized courses and Darkness to Light: Stewards of Children, plus body and internet safety classes at local schools.
KARE believes everyone has a role to play in preventing child abuse. Your impact starts with the knowledge of how you can help.
This is why we offer several trainings focused on you or your organization’s role in child abuse prevention. We offer specialized trainings suited to you or your organization’s unique needs. We also have several trained facilitators for Darkness to Light:
Stewards of Children Child Sexual Abuse Training.
Additionally, we teach body and internet safety courses at the local elementary schools within Haywood County with hopes to expand our services to include middle and high schools in the future.