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The Hope Heal Grow Mobile

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As the first of its kind in Kentucky, our Hope Heal Grow Mobile innovates our outreach services by meeting children and families where they are and expanding access to safety, healing, and justice throughout the eight counties of the Purchase Area.

Children’s Advocacy Center

Hope Heal Grow Mobile

Barriers to Hope, Healing, and Growth

Kentucky continues to rank among the states with the highest rates of child abuse and neglect in the nation. This year alone, over 4,000 children in Kentucky’s Purchase Area will be named as alleged victims and more than 1,200 will be confirmed victims of abuse according to Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Unfortunately, many children and families impacted by abuse and neglect face additional barriers to services: lack of transportation, geographic isolation, inability to take time off of work, cultural and social norms, and victim-offender relationship.

With our Multidisciplinary Teams, Lotus has identified the need for a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) mobile unit to provide children and families access to protective services, law enforcement, medical providers, advocacy, and mental health services.

Introducing the Hope Heal Grow Mobile

The solution to this challenge is the Hope Heal Grow Mobile. Research demonstrates child victims who receive forensic services will be more likely to receive specialized medical and mental health care.

Caregivers feel more connected to family advocates and are more likely to become engaged in the recovery process of their children. With this type of specialized and comprehensive intervention, victims of abuse are better able to handle crises and have fewer negative long-term effects.

“Whenever people can’t come to us, we get to go to them now! So, whenever a child needs to speak their truth or tell their story of the difficult things that may have happened to them, we’ll be able to meet them at a location that is close to where they’re at.”

Nichole Wadley, Lotus CAC Forensic Lead/Interviewer 

Hope Heal Grow Mobile Services & Features

With 75% funding from Kentucky’s Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and generous support from Ray & Kay Eckstein Charitable Trust and the Charity League of Paducah Ethel Dubois Smith Fund, Lotus developed the Hope Heal Grow Mobile to improve services for children who are victims of sexual or physical abuse.

The mobile unit houses a forensic interview room (pictured left) and a medical exam room (pictured right) to provide services in a comfortable environment.

“This is really an opportunity to reach out to the community, especially underserved populations. Where we meet a client will be case specific. We might meet them somewhere close to their home like a local fire station, a library or maybe a school that provides privacy.”

– Nichole Wadley, Lotus CAC Forensic Lead/Interviewer 

As the first of its kind in Kentucky, our Hope Heal Grow Mobile innovates our outreach services by meeting children and families where they are and expanding access to safety, healing, and justice throughout the eight counties of the Purchase Area.

  • Forensic interviews in a child-friendly environment
  • Specialized medical examinations
  • Family & legal advocacy
  • Mental health services
  • Education & resources on victims’ rights and compensation

The blueprint of the Hope Heal Grow Mobile and its available services.

Support the Hope Heal Grow Mobile

The Hope Heal Grow Mobile is anticipated to cost $11,000 annually to operate. This includes ongoing vehicle maintenance and fuel, as well as maintenance of the child-friendly interview room, medical examination room, waiting area, family advocacy room, and restroom.

“We have many community partners who are excited about helping us find these places in the community so that we can reach anyone, no matter if they’re out in the county or right in the middle of the city.”

– Nichole Wadley, Lotus CAC Forensic Lead/Interviewer 

To be a part of this community effort, support our Hope Heal Grow Mobile impact through a recurring donation or a one-time gift towards annual operating expenses. You can set up a donation of any amount and indicate “Hope Heal Grow Mobile Operating Donation” in the notes field.

Gifts can also be mailed to Lotus at 1605 N Friendship Road, Paducah, KY 42001. Please make checks payable to Lotus and indicate “Hope Heal Grow Mobile Operating Donation” in the memo line.

Sarah is a community impact intern at Lotus. She is a senior at Murray State studying organizational communication and nonprofit leadership and is passionate about working in the nonprofit sector one day.

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