Mental Health Services

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol County is committed to providing a supportive journey of healing. Swift and early connection to mental health is one of the primary determinants of resiliency from a childhood traumatic experience.

HARP, a program of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol County (CAC), launched in July 2018.  HARP was developed in response to a growing need to treat children who have been exposed to potentially traumatic events such as physical or sexual abuse, witness to domestic violence, or a recent disclosure of physical or sexual abuse.  Children who come to the CAC, and who have experienced a recent traumatic event, may be at risk to develop posttraumatic symptoms, which can affect the way he/she thinks, feels, and behaves.   Clinicians at HARP are trained in Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI), a brief intervention designed to decrease the negative impact of these events and aid in a child’s recovery and healing process.

CFTSI is an evidenced based treatment model consisting of 5-8 sessions, with a significant focus on child and parent/caregiver support and understanding of how the traumatic event is affecting the child.

Our Family Advocates will address the immediate and long-term effects of child abuse-related trauma to the child as well as the stress a family may experience in many areas of their life following a child’s disclosure of abuse.

Mental health referrals are provided to mental health clinicians in their community who are trained and credentialed in trauma informed treatment modalities which are rooted in best practice.

The Children’s Advocacy Center serves as a regional provider of offering training to mental health clinicians with the most well-supported and effective trauma treatment modalities for treating child victims of abuse—such as TF-CBT, ARC and SMART.

We have provided over 150 therapists from among ten clinics free training. To be considered among the therapists eligible for the next Mental Health Capacity Building Program, contact Cathy Rutkowski, Co-Executive Director.

Children who have been sexually abused often have symptoms and associated psychological and emotional problems that can linger for years after the traumatic event. These include early initiation of smoking, multiple sex partners and associated infectious diseases, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, severe obesity, and suicide attempts, as well as, mental health problems such as anxiety, mood, sleep or personality disorders and problems with relationships and compulsive behaviors. Read more to learn about the impact of childhood trauma into adulthood