Did you notice our newsletter has a new name? Welcome to The Advocate – a monthly publication from Voices of Courage Child Advocacy Center.
“People ask, ‘how can a person abuse a child?’ I ask, ‘how can so many good people not do anything about it?'”
Adrianne Simeone
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
WHAT IS A CHILDREN’S SERVICES FUND?
You may have read recently in the News-Press that several nonprofit organizations in our area are working together to bring a Children’s Services Fund to Buchanan County. The natural question is – what is this and what would it do?
Let’s hope we can all agree on this – every community wants children to grow up safe, healthy and ready to succeed.
But, when children experience abuse, neglect, mental health challenges, family instability, or other hardships, helping them often requires more than what one organization can provide.
That’s where a Children’s Services Fund (CSF) comes in.
A CSF is a community-created source of local funding dedicated exclusively to improving the lives of children and families. Rather than relying solely on grants or state and federal funding, which can change wildly from year to year – a CSF allows a community to invest in its own priorities and respond to its own needs.
The goal is simple: ensure that children and families have access to the services they need, when they need them.
Funding from a CSF may support programs such as:
- Temporary shelter services for abused, neglected, runaway, homeless or emotionally disturbed children and youth
- Respite care services
- Unmarried parent services
- Outpatient chemical dependency and psychiatric treatment
- Outpatient counseling and related services as part of transitional living programs for children and youth
- Crisis intervention services, inclusive of telephone hotlines
- Prevention programs that promote healthy lifestyles among children and youth and strengthen families
- Home-based and school-based family intervention programs
- Individual, group or family counseling and therapy services, psychological evaluations, and mental health screenings
One of the greatest strengths of a CSF is that decisions about funding are made locally. Community members identify the greatest needs, establish priorities, and invest in organizations that are making a measurable difference in the lives of children.
CSFs are not designed to replace existing funding. Instead, they help fill gaps, expand access to services, encourage collaboration among agencies, and provide stability so organizations can focus on serving children rather than constantly replacing lost funding.
The investment made today can have lasting benefits. When children receive help early, communities often see better educational outcomes, improved mental health, stronger families and fewer costly interventions later in life.
Over the coming months, you’ll be hearing more about the proposed CSF that we are calling Buchanan County Kids. We hope you’ll take the opportunity to learn how it works, ask questions, and explore how a local investment in children can help build a stronger community for generations to come.
Because when children thrive, we ALL benefit.
THE MORE YOU KNOW
CAN PARENTS STAY IN THE INTERVIEW ROOM?
This is a frequently asked question from parents when their child comes to Voices of Courage for their forensic interview.
And it’s completely understandable. When a child may be scared or facing something difficult, every parent’s instinct tells them to be by their side.
The answer, however, is no – and there’s an important reason why.
A forensic interview is a carefully structured conversation conducted by a specially trained professional. Its purpose is to provide the child with a safe, neutral environment where they can share THEIR experiences in their own words. The interview is designed to minimize trauma while also gathering information that may be important for the investigation.
Even the most loving and supportive parent can unintentionally influence what a child says. Children naturally look to the adults they trust for cues, and they may change or withhold information because they don’t want to upset, disappoint, or worry their caregiver. Removing parents and other adults from the interview room helps ensure that the child’s statement is as accurate and complete as possible.
That doesn’t mean caregivers are left out of the process.
While the child is being interviewed, caregivers meet with a family advocate who explains what to expect, answer questions, discusses available resources, and helps plan for the family’s next steps. This time also allows caregivers to receive support and information that can help them best meet their child’s needs.
After the interview, the multidisciplinary team – which may include law enforcement, child protection professionals, prosecutors, medical providers and our staff – works together to determine the most appropriate next steps. Throughout the process, families are kept informed and connected to services that promote healing.
The goal is never to separate children from their caregivers. Instead, it’s to create the best possible environment for children to tell their stories while ensuring families receive the support they need every step of the way.
At Voices of Courage, we know that when a child walks through our doors, they never come alone. We care for the entire family, and we’re committed to helping both children and caregivers move forward with hope and healing.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Why We Ask for Donations
If you have ever received one of our fundraising letters or heard us ask for support, you may have wondered: Why do nonprofits always seem to be asking for money?
It’s a fair question.
The truth is, asking for donations isn’t about ‘begging’, as some categorize it. It’s about building a partnership with the community we serve.
When a business sells a product, customers pay for that product. The revenue covers the cost of doing business. Nonprofits work differently.
Our “product” is something every child deserves but no child should ever need – a safe place to be heard, healing after trauma, advocacy during one of their hardest moments, and education that helps prevent abuse before it happens.
The children and families we serve cannot simply purchase these services. In fact, our services are provided at no cost because we believe that financial circumstances should never determine whether a child receives justice, healing and hope.
But doesn’t government funding support you?
While grants and government funding are important, they rarely cover the full cost of providing comprehensive, high-quality services. And if you’re wondering – if we started charging for our services, we would likely lose most of those grants.
Many grants are restricted to specific programs, leaving essential expenses – staff training, technology, utilities, facility maintenance, prevention education and other operational costs – without dedicated funding.
Those needs are met through the generosity of individuals, businesses, civic organizations and community partners. People just like you!
When we ask for donations, we’re not asking people to rescue our organization. We’re inviting them to invest in something much bigger.
Every gift helps ensure that a child can tell their story in a safe environment instead of repeating it multiple times. It helps provide specialized mental health treatment that supports healing from trauma. It helps us train professionals to recognize and respond to abuse. We are trying to create a stronger, safer community for all of us.
Asking for support is one of the most important responsibilities we have – not just because our organization needs money (of course it does) but because children need services that cannot exist without community investment.
Philanthropy has always been about people coming together to accomplish what none of us could do alone. Every donation, whether $25 or $25,000, is an expression of shared responsibility and hope.
So, when you hear us ask for support, know that we’re not asking out of desperation. We’re extending an invitation.
An invitation to stand with children in our community who deserve to be believed.
An invitation to help families in our community find hope after trauma.
An invitation to create a community where every child is safe, supported and given the opportunity to heal.
That’s not begging. That’s partnership.
With gratitude,
Melissa Birdsell
We are trying to create a stronger, safer community for all of us.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
MYTH VS. FACT: A child who experiences abuse will never fully recover.
We continue our series on Myth v. Fact around child abuse and responses to abuse. We want to dispel some myths related to child abuse because myths can be harmful. Facts keep children safe.
MYTH: A diagnosis of ‘child abuse’ ruins a child for the rest of their life.
FACT: Abuse can have lasting effects – but it does not have to define a child’s future.
Learning that a child has experienced abuse is heartbreaking. It’s natural for parents, caregivers, and loved ones to worry that the trauma will permanently shape the child’s life.
The reality is much more hopeful.
Trauma can affect a child’s emotions, behavior, relationships, learning, and physical health. Some children may struggle with anxiety, depression, difficulty trusting others, or challenges in school. These reactions are real, and they deserve compassionate support.
But trauma is not a life sentence.
Children are remarkable, especially when they have caring adults who believe them, protect them, and help them heal. Research consistently shows that positive, supportive relationships are one of the most powerful factors in helping children recover from traumatic experiences.
Early intervention also makes a difference. When children receive trauma-informed services – such as evidence-based mental health treatment – they have a much greater opportunity to heal and thrive.
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting what happened. It means helping children understand that what happened to them is only one chapter of their story – not the entire book.
At Voices of Courage, we have the privilege of watching children rediscover their confidence, build healthy relationships, and find hope after experiencing unimaginable hardship. While every child’s journey is unique, we know this to be true:
A child’s greatest identity is never “victim”.
It is Learner. Friend. Athlete. Artist. Musician. Dreamer. Leader.
With safety, support and the right resources, children can move beyond trauma and build healthy, fulfilling lives.
Because abuse may become part of a child’s story – but it never has to determine the ending.
You can help us create a safer, more compassionate community for every child!
COMMUNITY UPDATES
CORPORATE CHAMPIONS CAMPAIGN UDATE
Our Corporate Champions Campaign is designed to partner with local businesses that share our commitment to protection children and strengthening families.
These partners are playing a vital role in ensuring children in our community can access services without cost, delay or barriers, regardless of the family’s circumstances.
This month, we feature three Encourager Level Sponsors.
The first is St. Joseph Insurance. SJI provides comprehensive insurance solutions throughout Missouri and Kansas and has over 30 years of experience.
Next, we have Tolly and Associates, Inc. Don Tolly is committed to inspiring and protecting dreams in St. Joseph, MO.
Third is BMS Logistics. They specialize in delivering excellence in contract packaging, product displays, and premium warehousing services.
THANK YOU to these Encourager Level sponsors.
We have more partners to introduce in next few editions of the Advocate and hope to be able to continue to feature more and more partners as the year goes on.
If you would like to join this growing group of companies in working together to protect children, just click here or contact Melissa to learn more.
COCO'S CORNER
Coco has been working to spend more time with child clients during therapy sessions this past month.
Some clients enjoy Coco’s company so much they ask to see her every time they come to the office.
Some children feel more comfortable talking about hard things when they have a comfort item, such as a blanket, a fidget toy or stuffed animal.
In this case (above), Coco becomes that comfort item and allows children to feel safe and supported by the unconditional love of a dog like Coco.
After working for a while, Coco likes to take a break and she has a lot of options in the office for that. Who wouldn’t choose the pink comfy couch that’s just her size?
#itisyourbusiness Missouri Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline 800-392-3738