The tree mural outside of the therapy suite gives children the opportunity to "leave their mark on the world" upon graduation from our therapy program. | |
This year our therapy program will provide approximately 400 individual, trauma-focused therapy sessions to child survivors of sexual abuse. Our therapy department utilizes Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help children address their trauma regarding their abuse, and to put kids on a pathway to healing and hope. We love to make our clients feel proud to have finished our therapy program, and graduates are given a copy of Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go" and are given the opportunity to "leave their mark on the world" by placing their handprint on our tree mural outside of our therapy suite. It is always an exciting and hopeful moment for our staff to walk by and see another handprint on the wall, knowing that another child has received these critical, healing services. | | |
Lead Forensic Interviewer Lindsey Burns trains over 20 individuals from partnering agencies in Scott County on best practices for interviewing child victims of sexual abuse. | |
Scott County Minimal Facts Training
Thanks to the support of the Kentucky Bar Foundation, this month CAC of the Bluegrass provided a Minimal Facts Interviewing training to professionals from the Georgetown Police Department, Sadieville Police Department, Scott County Attorney's Office, and Kentucky Department for Community Based Services. This training focuses on interviewing best practices for those first-responders to allegations of child sexual abuse. We always appreciate the opportunity to connect with our partnering agencies!
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January 2023 Service Numbers | |
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Emily Miller, Central KY Market Manager SVP
Republic Bank and Trust
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Emily Miller, Central Kentucky Market Manager SVP at Republic Bank and Trust, has been a member of the CAC of the Bluegrass Board of Directors since 2015 and currently serves as Board Treasurer. During her time on the board, she has been integral in providing guidance on a number of Center initiatives and has been active in planning the Center’s annual gala. She says she is honored to be a member of the CAC's board, because "we could not ask for a more caring team that is driven toward the common goal of reducing the trauma of innocent children." Emily says it takes "big hearts and lots of determination" to run a Center like ours, and she's proud of how hard the Center's staff and board work on behalf of children.
In her free time, Emily enjoys practicing "the three 'Rs': running, reading, and relaxing!" She's such a dedicated runner, in fact, that she's run the Bourbon Chase six times, and is hoping 2023 will be her 7th! Emily is a native of Lexington, and she and her husband Marcus are the proud parents of two wonderful children.
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Lindsey Burns
Lead Forensic Interviewer
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Lindsey Burns, Lead Forensic Interviewer, has been at the Center for eight years. She says she works at the Center because "there aren't a lot of jobs where you get to see hope walk through the door every day. The children served by CACBG reflect reality, resiliency, and hope, and to witness that is truly a gift." As a forensic interviewer, Lindsey's role involves talking to children about their experiences of abuse and to gain as much detail as possible for the investigators. "When a child tells me during their forensic interview that they've told me more than anyone, I know I've done my job," Lindsey says. "When a child tells me that talking about what happened has made them feel a little better, I know I've helped that child. Those are my proudest moments."
When asked what she does in her free time, Lindsey says it's all about "self care," which includes being outdoors with her family, watching shows with her husband, and working out. Her favorite place to travel is Turks and Caicos, where she and her husband honeymooned and where they've been fortunate to return with their children.
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Save the Date: Pinwheels for Prevention Presented by Republic Bank | |
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Every April our Center hosts a pinwheel planting to honor Child Abuse Prevention Month and our efforts to treat and support child survivors of sexual abuse. The pinwheel is the national symbol for child abuse prevention, as the pinwheel connotes playfulness, joy, and childhood, and is a physical representation of the great childhoods we want for all children in the communities we serve.
We invite you to join us at our Center on April 17th at 10:00am as we come together to support child survivors in Central KY. Coffee and donuts will be provided, and we will open the Center up for tours following the planting.
If you are interested in learning more about our pinwheel planting, contact Taylor Ballinger at taylor@kykids.org. Thank you to Republic Bank for sponsoring this event!
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The Center is hiring! If you or someone you know would be interested in joining our incredible team, check out the opportunities below:
Program Director: The Program Director is a full-time position whose primary responsibility is effectively managing all aspects of the day-to-day programmatic functions of the CAC, including forensic interviewing, child and family advocacy, medical evaluation and exams, mental health services, and multidisciplinary team coordination. For full job description and to apply online, click here. Interested applicants may also submit a cover letter and resume directly to Winn Stephens, CAC of the Bluegrass, 162 N. Ashland Ave., Lexington, KY 40502, winn@kykids.org.
Director of First Impressions: The Director of First Impressions is a full-time position whose primary responsibility is to be the face of CAC of the Bluegrass by greeting and directing visitors, assisting them with the appropriate paperwork, supplying them with refreshments and snacks while they wait, and directing inquiries as appropriate and/or providing information. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume directly to Winn Stephens, CAC of the Bluegrass, 162 N. Ashland Ave., Lexington, KY 40502, winn@kykids.org.
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Children's Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass's work is made possible thanks to the generous support of our key partners. | | | | |
