Carson City Rural Child Advocacy Center begins critical services with Sheriff’s Office
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Sun, 11/03/2024 - 6:20pm
In an urgent response to fill a longstanding gap in services, the Carson City Rural Child Advocacy Center has begun working with the Carson City Sheriff’s Office to provide immediate support for children who have been victims or witnesses of violent crime, abuse, and exploitation.
While the Advocacy Center’s formal opening is still forthcoming, this early start reflects the pressing need for trauma recovery and justice services for children and families across northern Nevada’s rural communities.
The Advocacy Center is located in a thoughtfully renovated historic Carson City home, designed to offer comfort and security for families in crisis. As preparations continue for the official opening, CCRCAC has launched a fundraising drive to match up to $250,000 in donations by December 31, 2024. This match campaign will fund free trauma recovery and advocacy services for families in eight rural counties—services that local authorities identified as desperately needed.
Answering a Call for Help from Families in Crisis
In early 2023, the Carson City Sheriff’s Office made an urgent appeal for a dedicated child advocacy center. Many rural families affected by violence and crime had been left waiting for critical support, often with no immediate help available. This delay has meant repeated cycles of trauma for many families, who have found themselves without the resources they need to begin healing.
In response, Serving Our Communities Foundation and The Marson Family Trust committed $250,000 with a dollar-for-dollar match to bring CCRCAC’s services to life, free for families.
“When we heard how deeply in need the Sheriff’s Department was for a child advocacy center in Carson City, we knew we had to take action,” said Jan Marson, Founder of Serving Our Communities Foundation. “Children and families have waited too long. We’ve listened to families who have been on waitlists for years, and to officers who see the same families return, still caught in cycles of trauma. It broke us.
These families needed support yesterday, and we are here today to provide it. Every dollar of our match will go directly to free services for victims and their families. We are asking our community to stand with us. We’re not asking for charity but for community members and leaders to step up and join us as advocates, sharing stories, resources, and joining us to protect and heal children and prevent more families from being destroyed.”
Providing Trauma-Informed Care for Nevada Children and Families in Need
With support from local and state leaders, CCRCAC has brought together a skilled, multidisciplinary team of forensic interviewers, child advocates, mental health professionals, and law enforcement. In July, CCRCAC held a retreat to prepare team members and community partners with the tools and training needed to offer trauma-informed care, ensuring both families and caregivers are supported through the healing process.
Key Services Provided by the Carson City Rural Child Advocacy Center:
● Forensic Interviews: Conducted in a safe, child-friendly environment equipped with advanced technology to ensure interviews are as stress-free as possible, with team members able to participate remotely when needed.
● Victim Support and Advocacy: Comprehensive assistance for children and families, including crisis intervention, safety planning, ongoing updates, and court advocacy tailored to each family’s needs.
● Medical Evaluation: On-site medical evaluations by specially trained healthcare providers, ensuring secure, supportive care for children and families.
● Mental Health Services: Specialized therapeutic interventions by trained mental health professionals to aid in trauma recovery for both children and caregivers.
● Case Review and Tracking: Continuous case review and tracking to ensure high-quality care and support throughout each family’s journey.
CCRCAC’s mission is to provide children and families affected by crime with a pathway to resilience through healing and hope based in trauma-informed, compassionate care. With the official opening approaching, CCRCAC is asking the community to take action, maximize the matching gift opportunity, and become advocates for children in need of safety and support.
To learn more about the Carson City Rural Child Advocacy Center, visit www.ccruralcac.org.
To contribute, please visit www.donorbox.org/child-advocacy-center.
The Carson City Rural Child Advocacy Center offers vital services to children who have experienced or witnessed crime, based on a model that ensures children are supported, not harmed, by intervention systems. Working with law enforcement, medical professionals, advocates, and mental health experts, CCRCAC is committed to breaking cycles of trauma and building resilience in a safe, child-centered environment.
About Serving Our Communities
Founded by Jan Marson in 2020, Serving Our Communities Foundation partners with leaders to advance health, safety, and wellness initiatives in Nevada and Missouri. Following the Marson family’s sale of Nature’s Bakery to KIND in 2020, the foundation has dedicated nearly $5 million to social impact, with a mission to strengthen community resources and support integrated health and wellness services.
