Treatment and Prevention of Child Abuse: JFS Takes a Collaborative Approach

The Charlotte Jewish News, April 2023

By Rachel Green, JFS Director of Programs and Services

Jewish tradition places great value on the lives and welfare of children. Jewish Family Services (JFS) honors this value by collaborating with partners, both on and off Shalom Park, to raise awareness about child abuse prevention and treatment. In the past year, JFS has strengthened these partnerships and grown its capacity to serve children and families who have been affected by abuse.

Jewish Family Services has focused on therapist training and building expertise to meet the rising needs of children in our community who have experienced trauma, loss, and other difficult circumstances. Two members of the JFS clinical therapy team are completing training in a specialized therapy practice called “Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.” This specific type of therapy is an evidence-based therapy for children and adolescents that, through decades of research, has demonstrated positive results with a broad range of emotional and behavioral challenges resulting from trauma. The training program is a nationally recognized certification through the NC Child Treatment Program, Center for Child and Family Health. The program works with both the child and parent/caregiver using a structured, short-term model of therapy. The sessions range from eight to twenty-five sessions and can include fun, interactive activities. (https://tfcbt.org/)

While therapy services address one aspect of the challenge, addressing child abuse prevention and treatment requires a multipronged approach. Collaboration is key in addressing this complex problem. JFS collaborates with Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center to address both the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Pat’s Place, founded in 2005, has provided comprehensive investigation and treatment services to children who have experienced the most serious cases of child abuse and is also a hub of community collaboration. “Pat’s Place is modeled on the simple but powerful concept of coordination between community agencies and professionals involved in the system of child protection.” (www.patsplacecac. org)

Jewish Family Services participates in CHAT Collaborative which Pat’s Place facilitates. Cheryl Peace, CHAT Collaborative coordinator at Pat’s Place explains, “The CHAT Collaborative is designed to connect all children seen at Pat’s Place for forensic services to expedient, trauma-focused, high-quality mental health services. It is designed to foster ongoing com- munication between community mental health providers and Pat’s Place in an effort to monitor the children’s participation and progress in therapy. It seeks to improve the quality of the trauma-focused mental health services available in the Charlotte area through supervision, networking, and training opportunities.” Cheryl also explains that, “clinicians invited to participate in the CHAT Collaborative have extensive training in specifically identified trauma-focused therapy modalities.”

In addition to addressing the treatment of child abuse, JFS takes part in the planning of Mecklenburg County Child Abuse Prevention month. A representative from JFS sits on the Mecklenburg Child Abuse Prevention Team, “a group of child-serving organizations and individuals who have joined forces to help build public awareness around the issue of child abuse awareness and prevention.” www.meck4kids.org/.

The team plans activities around Charlotte to promote awareness and prevention tips. JFS will plant the annual “Pinwheel Garden” in front of the Levine Jewish Community Center on Monday, April 3, 2023, to draw attention to this important topic.

“Shining in the sun, the pinwheel is reflective of the bright, healthy future all children deserve.”

By creating strong partnerships within the Charlotte community, Jewish Family Services is able to honor the values of car- ing for our community’s children and tackle the complex issue of helping families who have experienced abuse or other traumas and preventing children from facing these challenges in the future.