CLEARFIELD – When a child comes forward to report abuse, it can be a difficult time. Luckily, the kids in Clearfield County have Kirby to help them.
Kirby is a three-year-old “employee” of the Child Advocacy Center of Clearfield County who has been on the job since October of 2020.
He was trained as a service dog by inmates at the state prison in Houtzdale before being assigned to a person. However, he got depressed in this position, said Mary Tatum CAC-CC director.
At that time, the center was on a wait list for a service dog, so they got a call asking if they wanted him. They were told he loves kids, so the CAC seemed like a good match for him.
Since he has been at the center, he has emotionally supported over 200 children, she said.
He provides comfort for them through the entire process including their physical exams, interviews, preliminary hearings and prior to testifying in a trial.
Kirby is trained to do everything a service dog does including turning off lights, opening refrigerators and more. When asked to get a “smile” for someone, he runs off to a room with stuffed animals and returns with a toy he has chosen specifically for you.
He actually “sorts” through them and will knock many off the shelf as he looks for the “right one”, Tatum said.
Kirby also provides emotional support to the staff and members of the Multi-Disciplinary Investigative Team that handles the sometimes disturbing cases.
The MDIT of Clearfield County consists of representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, Children Youth, and Family Services, law enforcement agencies throughout Clearfield County, medical personnel, CenClear, the Victim Witness Office, the Crossroads Project and PASSAGES Inc.
“We function well together,” Tatum said, adding that everyone on the team “cares about the children.”
According to the National Children’s Alliance, nearly 700,000 children are abused each year in the United States. Two-thirds of these cases involve sexual abuse.
Established in 2016, the CAC-CC provides a safe and secure place for abused children to be interviewed by a qualified individual while a closed-circuit monitor allows the MDT to observe the interview and provide feedback relevant to the particular case.
The room is set up to be a “developmentally appropriate” site for kids from pre-school age to a teenager, to keep them comfortable.
The CAC, under the umbrella of CenClear, handles not only abused children, but also witnesses to crimes and other drug exposure.
“We support victims that are not even in the judicial system,” Tatum explained.
They help kids find healing from trauma so that they can have the most productive life possible.
She quoted Fredrick Douglass, who said “it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men” changing it a bit to “it is easier to help a child than fix a broken adult.”
Their impact on children goes beyond just therapy. Tatum said they look for other issues in the child’s life such as food insecurity or housing and connect them with whatever additional services they need.
This assistance includes the rest of the family who may have also suffered trauma from the incident.
Grants pay for most of the services at the center including Kirby who came to the CAC through a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency which handled his purchase price and the cost of his food for a few years.
Donations such as free grooming for life from Lori’s County Cabin Dog Spa in Ramey have helped cover his other costs.
Anyone who wants to donate to support their services, can contact Tatum at cac@cenclear.org or through their Facebook page.
After the cases are done, 85 percent of the families are connected to long-term services, Tatum said. But that isn’t the end for the CAC.
“We even make sure the children are okay post-court,” Tatum stated. Once a family is part of their “family” they are always a part of their family.
This family is already planning a special birthday party for Kirby in June when he will turn four-years-old.
In his “off duty” hours, he is home with either Tatum or caseworker, Sierra Clark.
“When he is not working, he likes to be a regular dog.”
