Guinn’s ‘Center for Children and Families’ now serves over 800 children

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Crowley native Dr. Katie Core Guinn opened The Center for Children and Families in Crowley in December of 2014. It is a non-profit organization taking clients who are Medicaid eligible at no cost to clients up to the age of 19.
The Center now serves over 800 kids per month and covers 17 parishes.
Guinn finished her doctorate degree in Monroe while working in Rayville. She approached her boss and requested to open an office in Crowley. Within her first week, she had 12 to 15 children, a full case load. At that point, the need for the center’s services in the community became apparent.
Guinn is now the regional director of the Crowley center which now has 36 in office employees. They are on their second office and still growing.
According Guinn, The Center for Children and Families is redefining the way children in crisis are dealt with in the areas they serve. Their success rate is impressive. Still, she says, one child who falls through the cracks is one child too many.
“In the end, the center does more than give kids hope,” she said. “With your help, they can give them the skills they need to keep hope alive in their lives, in the lives of their families and ultimately, in the life of their community.”
Guinn believes that a child’s innocence is hope for a brighter tomorrow, however, the fact is hundreds of kids in our own community need hope simply to cope with the stress of every day life in a less than ideal world.
“While many people in our region are blessed with a comfortable lifestyle, many more are struggling and families coping with poverty often struggle with a wealth of other problems,”she said. “Children today are not just exposed to crime, neglect, violence, and abuse on television. They live it. Witness it. And are often its victims.”
The center’s mission is to promote safe, healthy environments through advocacy, counseling, education and prevention.
According to the group, the stated values of The Center for Children and Families are, community, respect, integrity, service, teamwork, empowerment, and excellence. These values have been identified over time as the key factors in the long term success of the center and are not high-minded theory saved for discussions at staff meetings and retreats. We believe that these values are present in every employee of the center and are the foundation for our philosophy,
They offer in home family therapy conducted in the client’s home. They believe change takes place in a client’s natural environment. Also, they work with the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), teachers, the Office of Juvenile Justice, Families in Need of Services (FINS) and the court system.
Some of the therapeutic programs offered are crisis intervention, functional family therapy, functional family therapy-child welfare program, family preservation program, and a family advocacy program.
The referral process can be made by any collateral or families can self refer. If actively enrolled Medicaid, youth is assigned to program based upon their specific needs. Then a psychosocial assessment is conducted with family, medicaid approves services to family, and a therapist is assigned to family.
The center has paired with UL, to provide internships with behavior science majors. All therapists have at least a master’s degree and all advocates have a bachelor’s degree. As, safety is the biggest concern for the center, all therapist and advocates have undergone fingerprinting, a full background check, drug screening, and a tuberculosis test.
And they are in need help.
Every child who is served by the center receives a stuffed animal at the completion of their interview- a soft cuddly friend to hold on tight to. Donations of new stuffed animals, as well as monetary donations, are always welcome.
For additional information, contact Guinn at 337-514-5181.