It's the house hope built.

Hope House is a special place designed to provide a child-oriented, interview environment and counseling facility that is both warm and non-threatening. The goals of Hope House are to provide for better investigation, prompt and vigorous prosecution, and appropriate clinical intervention with children and their families. Located in Covington, LA, this facility serves the growing communities of both Washington and St. Tammany Parishes.

The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is here to lessen the trauma to children, ages 3-16, who have been sexually or physically abused. Once alerted, a child protection worker or law enforcement office brings the child to our center. There the children can disclose their experience in a child friendly place, and talk to a trained forensic interviewer in a safe, warm, nurturing atmosphere. These interviews are video-taped with the child's knowledge so that the experience can be told once and not relived each time it is repeated. The tapes are then used in the investigation by the District Attorney's office. These taped interviews are one of the most effective and reliable ways to present the findings to case workers and for the court to provide justice for an innocent child.

The needs of the family are also met here by the CAC through clinical intervention assessments with the children and their families. We can also provide referrals for specific counseling services for members of the family, as well as individual interviews with the child.

The forensic interview is truly at the heart of the CAC's work. By allowing the children to tell their story and reassuring then that what happened to them was not their fault, the first step in healing can begin.

HOPE ......HEALING...... JUSTICE

Mad Hatter Tea

Mad Hatter Tea is an annual fundraiser for the Hope House. JLGC assists in providing woman power to help work the event. Also, Frank Levy of Skyfire Theatre and his actors and actresses dress in Alice in Wonder Attire as children of all ages and parents enjoy their tea brunch.

Since 2002, JLCG has awarded a grant each year to Hope House totaling more than $27,000 to date. Hope House is slated to receive another grant in 2008 as well as league volunteers to work at Hope House and assist with their annual fundraiser, Mad Hatter Tea Party.