Hearing, Helping, Healing
children and families impacted by child abuse in Central Oregon
DAMON’S STORY
a legacy of healing
NEARLY TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, I was just four years old when I first visited KIDS Center. My birth mother was an unhealthy and abusive individual. She and her husband, and most of our neighborhood were dedicated to the creation, use, and distribution of methamphetamine. While I was in her care, I was the victim of continual sexual and physical abuse. The environment I lived in was one of fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. When my grandparents realized the life I was living during a visit, they found the courage to speak up. They requested I come to Bend with them for a visit and I never returned to my hometown. They brought me to KIDS Center to help me begin to process and heal. What I remember most about KIDS Center was the sense of peace I felt. My world had been one of uneasiness and extreme stress caused by the trauma I had experienced, so being in a place where I could finally feel safe and protected was almost magical; it felt like a dream. My time at KIDS Center was also an integral part of helping the courts understand the importance of me staying in my grandparents’ care. KIDS Center didn’t just help me, they helped my grandparents understand the kind of trauma I had experienced and was able to connect them with education and resources to help them know how to help me. I don’t know how my life would have turned out if my grandparents didn’t bring me to KIDS Center. I often wonder what happened to the friends I left behind. I fear without a place like KIDS Center and adults who cared, they didn’t fare as well. The biggest gift KIDS Center gave me was the freedom I live with today. KIDS Center helped me feel “normal” and was instrumental in ensuring I was placed in a family who loved and cared for me. KIDS Center made my future bright, they gave me a chance for a better life, and my grandparents (now parents) the education they needed to provide me with it. For all of this, I will always be grateful.
Prevention & Education program launched. Darkness to Light selected as the primary training curriculum.
1994
KIDS Center opens
1990
Community members “subpoenaed” to attend a public meeting.
Watch Damon’s story at youtube.com/KIDSCenterBendOr
2005/2006
“THE BIGGEST GIFT KIDS CENTER GAVE ME WAS FREEDOM.”
Today I dedicate my professional life to giving back and helping children who face similar challenges to my own. As a DHS Child Welfare caseworker in Oregon, I work with children who have been removed from their parent’s care. I try to give children hope in situations that can be so very dark. I’m amazed when a child I’m working with recognizes that I know, really KNOW, the struggle with the feelings and emotions they are experiencing. I am able to offer these children a piece of the hope and healing that I was given by KIDS Center. In many ways, my daily work passes on a legacy that KIDS Center helped create in me...a legacy of healing from situations too horrible for words, hope despite darkness, and peace instead of chaos. - Damon, a KIDS Center Client
More than 25 years ago, key community members had the desire and heart to create a safe space for children to tell their story of abuse and get the help they needed. After three years of hard work and dedication, KIDS Center opened our doors to the children of Central Oregon. With just $50,000 from Rotarians, local business owner, Jan Wick, with the help of Rust Gilchrist and Walt Schloer, spearheaded the construction of our current building. Marda Stoliar and Zeila Flannery focused on designing an interior space reflective of safety and healing. The opening and early success of KIDS Center would not be possible without the heartfelt support of so many community champions (recognized on the insert). Community partners including St. Charles, Deschutes County Behavioral Health, law enforcement agencies, the District Attorney’s Office, Rotarians, DHS Child-Welfare, Deschutes Children’s Foundation, and Deschutes County United Way made our initial work possible. Over the course of 25 years, KIDS Center has grown significantly and now serves nearly 3,000 children and families every year. We are proud of the pivotal moments and accomplishments that provide increased support and services for children and families impacted by child abuse in our community.
With guidance from Chris Gardner, a local prosecutor, the Oregon Legislature established the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Intervention (CAMI) Program in 1993. CAMI funds provide for the development and growth of child abuse multidisciplinary teams (MDT). As the designated Chair and Coordinator of the Deschutes County MDT since 1995, KIDS Center plays an instrumental role in ensuring children receive timely and comprehensive evaluations and services.
1993
Prevention Program
KIDS Center invested in prevention and education which resulted in the launch of the nationally acclaimed training Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children® in Central Oregon. Since then we have trained over 11,000 adults how to recognize and prevent child sexual abuse. Additional trainings were created including SafeTouch (for children in grades K-5) (2009), Internet Safety (2012), Let’s Talk About It (2013), and SafetyNet® (2019). In 2018, KIDS Center played an instrumental role in helping schools prepare to implement the new state mandate for K-12 school-based sexual abuse prevention curriculum: Erin’s Law.
2009
Family Support services launched and first KIDS Center therapist hired
Deschutes Children’s Foundation expansion & KIDS Center has grand re-opening, doubling our capacity.
2007 - 2008
2006
Karly’s Law passes and KIDS Center is named the designated medical professional (DMP) for tri-county area.
2005
Opening Our Doors
KIDS Center officially opened, providing medical evaluations, child-friendly forensic interviews, and therapy to 130 children (who were at risk of or had experienced abuse) throughout Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties, as well as Warm Springs.
1994
"During the past 25 years, KIDS Center has adjusted to a constantly changing environment in best practice for prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of child abuse. They have adjusted to changes in funding sources and their ability to change is vital to KIDS Center's long term success." -Jan Wick
First Healing Hearts Luncheon
MDT and CAMI Funding
Karly’s Law
The passage of Oregon legislation to ensure any child with a physical injury concerning for abuse is seen by a medical professional within 48 hours required KIDS Center to revise our service delivery to effectively respond to a 200% increase in referrals for physical abuse. With four medical examiners, we can now accommodate these referrals and serve all children within 5-9 business days based on child safety and type of injury.
2007
Investment in Fundraising Resources
With critical funding from Meyer Memorial Trust, KIDS Center hired our first Director of Development. This dedicated focus on raising funds for direct services has grown to include signature events such as the Healing Hearts Luncheon and Cork & Barrel. These events make it possible to now offer mental health services for children AND their families as well as build financial stability for our next 25 years and beyond!
2007
“KIDS Center serves to protect children from harm and abuse. Protecting kids and helping make families safe and whole is a community responsibility. Our support of KIDS Center does this and so much more.” -Mike Dugan, Deschutes Co. DA (1987 - 2010)
Rural Initiative
2009
In our effort to expand services throughout the tri-counties, KIDS Center explored and invested in various service delivery models. Over the past 7 years, we found success by offering evaluations in Bend with follow-up by local Family Support Specialists in each county who are familiar with community resources available for healing.
2010
2013
First Cork & Barrel Fundraiser
2010
Launched rural initiative with increased services to Crook and Jefferson counties.
“Saving Grace appreciates the opportunity provided by the DVCWP to seamlessly coordinate services with community partners. We’re grateful for KIDS Center’s ability to bring partners together toward the common goal of ending family violence.” -Trish Meyer, Saving Grace
Medical Director
KIDS Center met increasing client needs for comprehensive medical services and timely evaluations by adding a Medical Director to the team. This also bolstered KIDS Center’s ability to support community partners by offering specialized resources and trainings.
2009
Therapy
Since the beginning, Deschutes County Behavioral Health has provided co-located mental health care for children and families receiving KIDS Center services. As county mental health loads increased, KIDS Center hired additional therapists to engage with children and families at the time of evaluation. This allowed a bridge to longer-term mental health services by decreasing wait time to meet with a therapist and increasing engagement rates.
2010
DV Child Witness Program (DVCWP)
KIDS Center spearheaded a collaborative effort with community partners to provide immediate, comprehensive services and support to children who have witnessed domestic violence, as well as their non-offending caregiver.
2014
20th Anniversary
KIDS Center added Family Support & Advocacy services providing critical initial and long term support for families impacted by the stress surrounding abuse. Connecting families with community resources while providing emotional support transforms the longevity of KIDS Center’s impact on families.
2014
Family Support
Quality Programs and Services KIDS Center will ensure that resources are allocated to retain, recruit, and invest in our staff so that every child and family receives compassionate and comprehensive support when abuse happens and preventing it from ever occurring.
Expanding Prevention Efforts We began by eliciting direct client feedback from our clients through a client feedback survey addressing a menu of potential supports, programs, and resources. Based on this survey we have expanded the prevention services available to families which include our trainings (D2L, SafetyNet®, and LTAI), improving our web-based resources, and offering a new weekly psycho-education group run by on-site therapists. Throughout this next year, we will build these services and further explore how we can increase prevention resources to our families.
New Internet Safety Training
KIDS Center is excited to offer SafetyNet®, a new Internet safety training developed by the San Diego Police Foundation and the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force - this training teaches caregivers how to use technology safely and positively, providing tools needed to increase safety to their family’s online practices.
Expanding Mental Health Support and Resources
Ensuring that every child and family receives evidence-based therapy is not only best practice, but it’s also required by the National Children’s Alliance, our accrediting body. We are committed to expanding this resource to all children in underserved and rural areas, no matter where they live in our service region. As funds are available, staff capacity and technology will increase to help us meet this need.
Fundraising For The Future
We are incredibly grateful to the individual and corporate donors who have and continue to be key pillars of KIDS Center’s funding, providing half of our annual operating revenue each year. We believe the key to growth and sustainability is a combination of balanced and diversified revenue streams that position KIDS Center for responsible growth and the ability to weather any storm. That is why we are dedicated to exploring new revenue streams such as insurance reimbursements for mental health services and additional state and federal grant funding for direct services, as well as building on the success and momentum created by Cork & Barrel.
Engaging Younger Generations - #KidsToo
Younger generations can become vital change agents to bring child abuse out of secrecy and into open allowing for better response and protection for children.
Maximizing the Powers of Technology
541.383.5958 kidscenter.org Follow Us @kidscenterbend
Over 15,000 children served!
2019
25 Years of Hearing, Helping, Healing children and families impacted by child abuse in Central Oregon.
2017
KIDS Center helps schools implement Erin’s Law
Darkness to Light reaches tipping point, training 10,000 adults in child abuse prevention.
2016
Piloted Bridges to Healing support group for non-offending caregivers
2015
2014
Launched Domestic Violence Child Withness Program
Utilize the power of technology advances to support all aspects of the organization from direct service delivery, to broadening our reach to online audiences, to increased revenue generation. Become an online fundraiser and help us raise $25,000! Visit give.classy.org/25thanniversary