Recent Grants Allow PEI Kids’ Crisis Intervention Program Continue to Help Children and Families Heal

Grants Fund Crisis Counseling for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse 

 Lawrenceville, NJ – September 14^th, 2016 – For twenty-nine years, the Lawrenceville-based nonprofit, PEI Kids’ Crisis Intervention for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse program has provided immediate professional counseling for child victims, and their supportive family members.

Two recent grant awards, $7500 from Athena Health and $10,000 from AMC Cares/Tulsa Community Foundation, will allow PEI Kids to continue helping children, aged two to eighteen, recover from the trauma of sexual abuse through one-on-one, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and through educational support group sessions with supportive, non-offending family members.  Through individual counseling, education, and support for child victims and their family members, clients are able to heal, restore their sense of self, resume a level of normalcy in their lives and households, and prevent future victimization.

Program Director Dr. Juanita Brooks explains, “The Crisis Intervention program offers immediate short- term counseling for child victims. The program is respected throughout Mercer County for its expertise and success in helping children and supportive caregivers in the healing process.”  Dr. Brooks continues, “Parents often comment that we provide specialized services to help victims and families heal in a warm, welcoming, child-friendly environment.”

PEI Kids Executive Director Roz Dashiell thanks Athena Health and AMC Cares/Tulsa Community Foundation stating, “This generous support is vital to the future of the Crisis Intervention Program, which serves approximately 400 children and family members each year. Many families could not afford such specialized counseling if this program was not available to them. We are grateful to have such strong community supporters who value PEI Kids’ work and are committed to Mercer County’s youth.”

About PEI Kids
For the past 31 years, PEI Kids’ mission has been dedicated to promoting and maintaining a safe environment for all children. Currently serving approximately 12,000 children and their families each year, the nonprofit organization began in 1985 when, while working at a rape crisis center, its founders discovered there were no local services for children who had been sexually abused. The agency’s services have expanded to include engaging, developmentally-appropriate and culturally-diverse Prevention/ Education and Intervention programs relating to personal safety; physical and sexual abuse; school safety and bullying; anger management; gang prevention; and the overall well-being of the child. PEI Kids is also the lead agency of the Greater Mercer Coalition to Prevent Child Abuse. PEI Kids’ aspiration for the children of Mercer County, is “Safe Kids, Sound Futures.” To learn more about PEI Kids’ programs and services, and how you can support its mission, please call 609-695-3739 or visit www.peikids.org. All calls regarding possible abuse are confidential.