Advocacy
CornerHouse understands that trauma and abuse disclosures impact the entire family system. These events are stressful and overwhelming, and families need additional layers of support. All caregivers who come with their child to a forensic interview are offered the opportunity to work with an advocate ongoing, or after the day of the interview. Working with an advocate is completely free and voluntary.
Advocates help with many different areas. These include:
Help through the criminal justice and/or child protection process including assistance getting case updates, help understanding their processes, attending court proceedings, and more
Support through gaining safety through safety planning, domestic violence support, and restraining orders
Assistance with basic needs such as housing, food, emergency cash assistance, and shelter
Referrals for healing needs like individual therapy, group therapy, and crisis counseling
Legal resources for civil proceedings such as family/custody court
Coordinated Response
The Children’s Advocacy Center model brings together a multidisciplinary team of professionals to create a coordinated response to child abuse. Prosecutors and investigators watch the interview live from another room via closed circuit television.
This team along with medical professionals and advocates work together to identify next steps. This process prevents youth from sharing reports of abuse to other professionals limiting further trauma while connecting them to a broad array of services to encourage stability and healing.
CornerHouse advocates follow-up with caregivers every couple of weeks until the caregiver determines they have what they need. Any family who has been to CornerHouse can access working with an advocate at any time, even if they haven’t been to CornerHouse in years.
While ongoing services are only offered to families who have been to CornerHouse for a forensic interview, any person in the community can call and speak to an advocate through our community call line