This message was paid for by Teton Youth & Family Services.
JACKSON, Wyo. — When a child of any age experiences abuse or neglect, the trauma can have a deep and lasting impact on their lives. It is truly critical that when a child is a victim of abuse, the next steps are handled by professionals to ensure that the child — and their family — aren’t forced to endure further stress or trauma.
“First and foremost, the Hirschfield Center is a child-friendly place where children and families can come when there are serious allegations of child abuse or neglect,” explains Chris Moll, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Director of Licensing and Accreditation for Teton Youth & Family Services (TYFS). “In coordination with other agencies, such as DFS, law enforcement, the County Attorney and Victim Services, we can provide a comprehensive set of services to begin the healing process following a traumatic event. This ‘one stop shop’ approach minimizes the overall impact to the family.”
The Hirschfield Center is the only resource in Teton County for a process called Forensic Interviewing. “When child abuse is suspected, whether physical or sexual, a forensic interview provides a safe place fore the victim to tell their story. A specially trained interviewer speaks with the child to gather information in a compassionate non-leading fashion,” explains Moll. TYFS provided 35 forensic interviews in 2021 alone: an average of over two per month.
Not only is this approach safer and more supportive of the victim, but also ensures that any of the information they share can be utilized in legal proceedings. An interdisciplinary team is able to collect critical information to prosecute abusers without inflicting more trauma on a young victim.
The Hirschfield Center provides this service for children ages 3-18 as well as to adults with developmental disabilities. “This is absolutely a service that is integral to community safety,” explains Sarah Cavallaro, executive director of Teton Youth & Family Services. “The ability to successfully prosecute abusers or anyone who harms children is core to keeping other children safe. Without the Hirschfield Center, there would be no local resource to conduct forensic interviews. Even more importantly, the Hirschfield Center is a resource to help families develop tools and skills to recover from trauma.”
“In addition to the interview itself, our highly-trained staff provides outpatient therapy to young people and their family members, and will help to coordinate the various service providers involved in their lives,” adds Moll. “Healing is a long journey that is unique to each individual, and our staff is extensively trained in how to best support children of all ages as they navigate their healing process.”
These services rely on a facility that is not only intentionally-designed to conduct forensic interviews, but also provides a tranquil and welcoming space in which children and families feel at ease. Currently, renovations are underway to enhance the space in a variety of ways. “The reconfiguration of the Hirschfield Center will allow for a much more efficient use of our space,” says Moll.
“For example, the Hirschfield Center’s outpatient therapy program typically operates at capacity. By redesigning our current space, it will allow us to hire a third full time therapist and give us the ability to serve more children and their family members. We will also be able to have dedicated spaces for forensic interviews, play therapy, and better storage. Currently, between all of the programs and staff, there is a constant jockeying to use the efficient space that we have, and this will be eliminated,” he says.
The rejuvenation of the Hirschfield Center, in addition to the Van Vleck House Group Home and Red Top Meadows Residential Facility, is coming to life through a combination of private philanthropic support and efforts to acquire state funding. “These services are — to their absolute core — for our community. We’re hopeful that the community will understand that and support our ability to continue providing excellent resources by voting for SPET Proposition #2,” says Cavallaro. “The SPET initiative will provide $2 million that we need to complete this much-needed project.”
“Teton Youth and Family Services will never ask our clients for any type of service fee,” continues Moll. “We operate with the belief that if people are in need of our services, we are here to provide them at all hours of the day. Our programs are accredited to the highest standards and our therapists are all trained in the most current evidence based practices. However, it is our facilities that are lagging behind the quality of services that our staff provide.”
Community support of SPET Proposition #2 can ensure that the TYFS’ facilities reflect the professional excellence that their programs provide.
Teton Youth & Family Services urges all community members to vote for SPET Proposition #2 — Teton Youth & Family Services Facility Improvements. Vote on or before November 8th, and cast your ballot to support critical programming and facilities that keep children and families healthy, thriving, and safe.
