The Children’s Place offers respite for young victims

WASILLA—The Children’s Place, right outside downtown Wasilla, is the Mat-Su Valley’s only child advocacy center, providing a safe place for children affected by crimes committed against them. On Thursday they held an open house where dozens of people showed up to show their support and tour the facility after several emotional speeches.

“A lot of people showed up today and I think it reflects well in the community,” Dr. Bruce Hess said.

The Children’s Place is a non-profit organization that provides a comfortable and safe location for child victims as they are interviewed by law enforcement and child protective services investigators. The main goal is to make the process as comfortable as possible and to avoid causing any further distress. These are called “forensic interviews,” according to their website and are conducted by forensic interview specialists or by one of the criminal investigators with advanced training on the forensic interviewing of child victims/witnesses.

Recent developments include adding for interview rooms and co-locating with the Alaska State Troopers and the Office of Children’s Services, forming a continuum of care that helps minimizing the steps so child victims can have less to deal with as they recuperate. AST officer Sterling Peele said this center was a “blessing,” though unfortunately it’s also “very, very busy.”

Hess emceed the event and asked several people from doctors and police to contractors and counselors, who make The Children’s Place possible to stand up.

The Mat-Su Health Foundation and The Rasmuson Foundation are two critical sponsors for the Children’s Place, funding their ambitions to always grow and improve for the sake of Mat-Su children everywhere. Hess said their continued support, along with other sponsors and donors, both big and small, indicated to him that the “community has a stake in it.”

Several names etched onto metal leaves can be seen inside The Children’s Place. On each “Legacy Tree” are the names of various sponsors and donors.

Dr. Cathy Baldwin-Johnson, co-founder and medical director recalled a time without The Children’s Place, over 20 years ago when she first started practicing in the Mat-Su Valley.

“I can’t tell you how many of my patients told me they had childhood trauma,” Johnson said.

Now, Johnson and her colleagues operate as some of the leading experts in Adverse Child Experiences (ACE), blazing trails previously left in the dark. She commended the staff for their countless hours invested in a cause everyone in the building is behind.

“I guarantee they don’t stop thinking about work when they get home,” Johnson said.

Mat-Su Health Foundation CEO, Elizabeth Ripley also recalled the days before ACE became commonly talked about.

“We didn’t have anything like this,” she said.

According to Hess, the average doctor isn’t trained to work with the same tools The Children’s Place staff use every day. Doctors, therapists, teachers, and so on are however, what they call “first reporters” the ones who most often have the chance and ethical obligation to report any case of harm. Prior the Children’s place, traumatized children affected by violent and sexually abusive crimes had to have their interviews in the same rooms suspects were interrogated in. Now, the children have a safe place with multiple agencies working together to help them.

“They fought for our children,” Ripley said.

There are currently two seats open on The Children’s Place board of directors. Hess said that anyone interested is encouraged to contact them for more information.