Garvin County families needing a child advocacy center will soon be able to access those services locally. The Abbott House Child Advocacy Center recently announced it is opening a satellite office in Pauls Valley, which will serve Garvin County and other outlying areas.
The non-profit child advocacy center, based in Norman, already serves children in Cleveland, McClain and Garvin Counties, providing a victim-centered, child-friendly environment to help children tell their stories after an instance of abuse or neglect has occurred.
Abbott House Program Director Christi Cornett said the new Pauls Valley location will allow the center to better serve families in this area, who currently have to drive a significant distance for services.
“The goal is to ensure kids receive the same type of services with the least amount of strain,” Cornett said. “So, we want to meet those kids where they are at, if at all possible.”
Abbott House served 131 children from Garvin County through their Norman location in 2023, according to Cornett. In the the first six months of 2024, they have already served 60 Garvin County children.
Abbott House provides a safe place for children to share their experiences regarding sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect, or after being a witness to a crime or in a drug endangered situation.
Abbott House staff work with families, law enforcement, child welfare investigators, mental health and medical professionals to help children who have been abused begin the healing process.
Garvin County Sheriff’s Deputy Athena Miles has worked with Abbott House for the last several years as she has investigated child abuse cases in her role as a law enforcement officer. She said the child advocacy center definitely fills a need within the county, one that often goes unseen.
“Until you or a family member need those services, you often don’t realize how important they are,” Miles said, adding she is excited about those services being more accessible to Garvin County families through the new location.
“Sometimes families are more willing to get help if it’s closer,” Miles said.
The new satellite office, at 517 S. Willow, is anticipated to open the first of September and will offer the same services as the Abbott House location in Norman, according to Cornett. Those services include forensic interviews, medical assessments, family advocacy and educational outreach.
The new office will be open one day a week to start with, with the intention of eventually providing services five days a week.
“We’ll start off small and build. We’ll start with services one day a week and as demand rises, we’ll increase those days of operation,” Cornett said.
Initial funding for the satellite location is provided by a subgrant from the National Children’s Alliance, according to Cornett, who said Abbott House is still seeking additional funding and grants which will be needed to continue operating the new office.
The Garvin County Sheriff’s Office is sponsoring a donation and awareness drive through the month of August to help stock the new Abbott House satellite office.
Items needed include individually packed snacks and drinks; stuffed animals, blankets, boy/girl underwear, art supplies, journal supplies and toys to stock the new office’s Comfort Closet; and high-demand items such as washable classic fat markers and Playdoh.
Donations can be dropped off at police departments in Pauls Valley, Stratford, Paoli, Wynnewood, Maysville, Elmore City and Lindsay, or to the Garvin County Sheriff’s Office.
Miles said the advocacy center is still working to connect with individuals, businesses and organizations within the Garvin County community who would like to support Abbott House’s mission in the county through donations or volunteerism.
Businesses, churches, or other organizations that would like to donate services or collaborate with Mary Abbott for future fundraisers can contact Anna Adkins with Mary Abbott house at 405-579-5800. Individuals interested in volunteering can visit abbott-house.org/ volunteer.
For more about Mary Abbott Children’s House and what they do please visit abbott-house.org/ about-us.
