FRIENDS OF UTAH COUNTY CHILDRENS JUSTICE CENTER

Description

The Utah County Children’s Justice Centers provides or coordinates a variety of programs and services for both the victims and their families. The Children’s Justice Center both provides and makes referrals for individual therapy as well as treatment groups. Treatment groups include child & parent groups as well as teen & parent groups. The topics that the groups cover include assertiveness, coping skills, self-esteem, healthy relationships, and more. The CJC also provides forensic medical exams conducted by Nurse Practitioners. These exams are conducted for the purpose of assessing and treating trauma, treating possible exposure to infection, and making referrals for additional care. The victim assistance programs is also a core tenet of services that the CJC provides. Through the victim assistance mentor program, victims are paired with an adult mentor who meets one-on-one with the child on a weekly basis for six months. Mentors provide support to children as well as help the child increase self-esteem through positive interactions. The CJC also offers community outreach to the public and provides presentations on a variety of topics. Finally, the Children’s Justice Center also provides children and their families with various support services. Support services include monitoring of cases through the criminal justice system, education for parents, crisis intervention, and regular communication with families following the initial visit to the CJC.