The Center for Child Protection celebrated the opening of the St. Johns Therapy Center in Northeast Austin, expanding access to free, bilingual counseling services for children in Travis County. (Chloe Young/Community Impact)
The St. Johns Therapy Center will provide free counseling and treatment in English and Spanish to children in Travis County.
Officials with the center, city of Austin and partner agencies gathered to celebrate the center’s opening at an April 8 ribbon-cutting ceremony, wearing blue to commemorate Child Abuse Awareness Month.
“We as a community are standing together to let every child in Travis County know they are seen, they are heard and most importantly, that we will keep them safe,” Austin Mayor Pro Tem Chito Vela said.
What you need to know
The Center for Child Protection is the area’s only nonprofit involved in the investigation and prosecution of crimes against children, said Michael Torres, CEO of the Center for Child Protection. Last year, the organization saw 856 children in Travis County who were undergoing interviews as victims of sexual or physical abuse or witnesses to violent crime, he said.
“Forensic intervention is really just the beginning of the journey for those children,” Torres said. “Our goal is to end the generational cycle of abuse.”
The Center for Child Protection offers a sensory room to help meet children's sensory needs and soothe their nervous system. (Chloe Young/Community Impact)
The background
The Center for Child Protection selected the St. John's neighborhood site because of its proximity to the families it serves, Torres said. The center is located near a CapMetro bus line that is expected to make transportation more convenient for families.
“We hope to make that therapeutic journey for them that much easier by being here close to where they actually live,” Torres said.
What they’re saying
The new center may help eliminate logistical roadblocks that prevent families from receiving therapy for their children, Vela said. Commonly faced barriers include high costs, long working hours, far distances to care and limited transportation, said Vela, a former criminal defense and immigration attorney who worked with child abuse victims.
“For me personally, seeing these services available right here in the St. Johns area is especially meaningful,” Vela said. “Families in this community deserve access to care that makes a real difference in their children's lives.”
