July 5, 2019 3:40 a.m.
Douglas C.A.R.E.S., the local child advocacy center, has recently opened an office in Canyonville.
A release from C.A.R.E.S. said the facility at 115 Main Street will serve as the home office for family advocate Shawn Hopfer, clinical therapist Alexis Goff and skills trainer Kristi Taylor. The release said the new office represents the latest in a series of expansion efforts for Douglas C.A.R.E.S.
Executive Director Mike Nores said “people in our rural areas have the biggest difficulty in getting to services”. He said this move is a good way for the services to come to the families and children. He said that the agency collectively made the decision that “we will go to them”.
Nores said the office staff will use the new location to remove the distance barrier for families seeking services. He said currently those families must absorb the expense of traveling to Roseburg. That distance requires time out of school and work, in addition to the cost of fuel and need for reliable transportation, according to the release.
Hopfer said the office will allow them to serve south Douglas County and draw those families who are unable to get to Roseburg. He said their goal is to “provide advocacy for the kids and families that need the help here”. He said “the more people we can reach, the better we can be”.
The release said C.A.R.E.S. is reaching more people than ever before. The agency provides assessments to more than 900 children per year. As the county’s forensic interview and medical examination agency, C.A.R.E.S. also sees child abuse and neglect victims on a daily basis.
Nores said those numbers are growing. He said more information is coming to light about abuse in the community. He said than means instead of merely 20% of abuse being reported, ‘hopefully that percentage will increase and we can help more kids”.
According to the release, the Canyonville office will provide initial mental health screenings and assessments when a child is assigned to the south county therapist. The child and family will then begin working with the mental health therapist, the advocate and skills trainer, who will work with parents, guardians and foster parents.
Douglas C.A.R.E.S is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1994.
Go to www.douglascares.org for more information.