Among the powerful differentiators for Family & Children’s Place – the qualities and traits that make it the community leader in child abuse prevention, intervention and restoration – are our social workers, so as we greet March, we want to take this opportunity to very publicly recognize and celebrate them during Social Worker Month. It’s a chance to turn the spotlight on the profession and highlight the important contributions social workers make to society. Daily, they confront some of the most challenging issues facing individuals, families, communities, and society and help create solutions that help people reach their full potential […]

Staff from the Family & School Services team treated students in Meyzeek Middle School’s Collaborative Learning After School Program (CLASP) to a showing of the mega-Marvel hit, “Black Panther,” recently. In all, 33 students and one parent joined the Family & Children’s Place team on the field trip. Meyzeek Site Supervisor Bobby Cortes said students loved the film and “were dancing in their seats when the beats dropped! “They were cheering for Black Panther and some were even sad when the villain died (some of our girls said he was too cute to die).” Students gave the movie a standing […]

In cases of child abuse, the impact on the child and his or her family is enormous, but for the law enforcement officers who investigate allegations of abuse, there is impact as well. “Every case is tough,” says James Haehl, a detective captain with the Clark County, Ind., Sheriff’s Office. “As part of the investigation, we get to know the children. We hear the stories, the details. We can see the effect it has had on them. “Many of us (detectives and police) are parents ourselves, so these are very personal crimes for us. We have to work extra hard […]

Therapist’s story: Jeffrey and Jimmie, 9 and 11, are two brothers I work with who were referred through Child Protective Services.  Both have experienced much trauma, including domestic violence, neglect, and possible sexual abuse in their home, possibly by family members. Both have developmental delays and/or learning challenges. Jeffrey and Jimmie were removed from their biological mother’s home and placed in foster care.  The foster parents were having extreme behavioral and boundary issues with the children, who were urinating on the floor, smearing feces on walls of the home as well as verbally attacking their foster mother. After working with the […]

Enabling individuals to reach their full potential means providing access to the building blocks that sustain well-being: supports like early childhood development and education, preventive health and behavioral health services, affordable housing and transportation, workforce training, services for older Americans, and more. Human services organizations such as Family & Children’s Place work on a local level, in partnership with government and the philanthropic sector, to provide those supports that enable healthy, equitable communities. Our impact on the communities we serve is measurable: New families are raising safe, healthy babies with help from our HANDS team. Students are doing better in […]

A number of Floyd County officials joined Family & Children’s Place leadership and staff in mid-February to cut the ribbon and officially open the new Floyd County Child Advocacy Center. The center, adjacent to Baptist Health Floyd Hospital, is a partnership between Family & Children’s Place, the hospital, and Floyd Memorial Foundation. This office builds on more than 35 years of service to children and families in Floyd County and illustrates the agency’s intention to continue to partner with a purpose. Joining Family & Children’s Place President and CEO Pam Darnall to dedicate and open the center were Wendy Dant […]

Alanna B. joined the Hazelwood Middle School Out of School time summer program on the very first day. She and her family had previously participated in another Family & School Services program at a nearby elementary school until she graduated from that school in spring  2017. Alanna was considered “painfully shy” by those who knew her. Her mother, while enrolling Alanna, said her daughter, “doesn’t like to talk. If you can get more than a couple of words out of her, you’re doing good.” Alanna’s shyness showed up the first two weeks of programming. She attended the program with her […]

In fall 2017, the Out of School program at Hazelwood Middle School hosted its first Healthy Families Night sessions. The 10-week, once per week sessions focused on nutrition, healthy lifestyle choices, and food literacy. Families received a free healthy meal, learned about and discussed strategies for improving physical and mental health. Topics over the 10 weeks included the importance of drinking water, tips for dealing with stress, and the harmful of effects of over-consumption of sugar and food preservatives. Each week, participating families received a gift associated with the week’s topic, for example, a Brita water pitcher, recipes, and ingredients […]

Audra Rankin rejoins board to help guide child abuse prevention agency to greater impact LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Feb. 12, 2018) – Family & Children’s Place is welcoming Audra Rankin back to its Board of Directors. The agency, which this year is celebrating its 135th anniversary, leads efforts in the Louisville area to prevent, stop, and heal child violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Rankin, a pediatric nurse practitioner, is returning to the board after a short absence. Family & Children’s Place board members are unpaid volunteers and serve three-year terms. “Learning that Audra, with her background in nursing and her passion for […]

CLASP staff believes it is important to develop service learning projects and community outreach opportunities for youth enrolled in the program. Previous opportunities included volunteering with organizations such as Gilda’s Club, and donating time to Raptor Rehab. This summer, CLASP youth collaborated with Ambassadors of Family & Children’s place – volunteers who help create awareness of and support for the agency – to plan community service opportunities such as serving meals to displaced Smoketown citizens at St. Vincent DePaul, and assisting Humane Society staff make treats for dogs in their shelter. They also participated in the “Three Points Neighborhood Beautification […]