PEI Kids’ Program for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse Will Benefit from Six Recent Grants

Corporate and foundation donations will support free counseling for victims and families
 
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Sept. 18, 2014 - PRLog -- For the past 29 years, nonprofit PEI Kids has been working with Mercer County families, communities and schools to keep children safe. Six recent grants — from The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, American Multi-Cinema Inc. (AMC Cares), athenahealth Inc., Arbonne Charitable Foundation, the Robert and Joan Dircks Foundation, and the Lawrence Township Community Foundation — will specifically aid the Lawrenceville-based organization’s efforts to provide free professional counseling to local child victims of sexual abuse and their supportive family members.

PEI Kids Crisis Intervention for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse program provides immediate counseling services and support groups for more than 250 child victims and nearly 300 family members annually. Licensed counselors who specialize in Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy focus on helping the victims and families process and cope with the after effects of the abuse, and ultimately heal.

According to Dr. Juanita Johnson Brooks, who has managed the program since 1995, “Reported cases of child sexual abuse in Mercer County average about four per week, and nearly all victims are referred to PEI Kids. Immediate counseling is critical because the negative effects of abuse can be very damaging to a child and family’s future. Thankfully, the overwhelming majority of PEI Kids’ young clients leave our program with strengthened coping skills and vastly reported reductions in such symptoms as nightmares, anxiety and depression.”

Dr. Brooks credits ongoing support from The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey with providing depression screening and treatment for her young clients, while funds from the Arbonne Charitable Foundation will help finance family support groups. The Lawrence Township Community Foundation grant will specifically help PEI Kids treat children who are Lawrence residents. Grants from AMC Cares, athenahealth Inc. and the Robert and Joan Dircks Foundation, which are  all new donors to PEI Kids this year, will benefit the overall crisis counseling program.

As part of its Prevention and Education efforts, PEI Kids also works as the lead agency for the Greater Mercer Coalition to Prevent Child Abuse, which offers community workshops throughout the County to educate adults on how to prevent, recognize, report and respond to child sexual abuse.

About PEI Kids
Serving the Greater Mercer County, NJ, community for the past 29 years, PEI Kids addresses many of the most pressing issues affecting children, including child assault and sexual abuse, bullying, gang culture and cyber violence. With a mission dedicated to promoting and maintaining a safe environment for all children, its services include programs relating to personal safety; child sexual abuse; school safety and bullying; anger management; gang prevention; and the overall well-being of the child and family.

PEI Kids is also the lead agency of the Greater Mercer Coalition to Prevent Child Abuse and provides client services to foster care children and their biological families. To learn more about PEI Kids’ many programs, workshops and services, and how you can support its efforts, please call 609-695-3739 or visit www.peikids.org. All calls regarding possible abuse are confidential.

Media Contact
Jesse Elliot
jelliot@peikids.org
End
Source: » Follow
Email:***@peikids.org Email Verified
Tags:PEI Kids, Crisis Counseling, Mercer County, Sexual Abuse, Arbonne Charitable Foundation
Industry:Family, Non-profit
Location:Lawrenceville - New Jersey - United States
Subject:Awards
Account Email Address Verified     Account Phone Number Verified     Disclaimer     Report Abuse
PEI Kids News
Trending
Most Viewed
Daily News



Like PRLog?
9K2K1K
Click to Share