Parents and Caregivers

PROTECT
PROTECT is a support group for non-offending parents and caregivers of children who have experienced a trauma or have been exposed to risky or unsafe situations. This group runs for 10 weeks.

Individual Caregiver Trauma Therapy Program
Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

It is common that the adults who care for children also carry the weight of their own Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), or childhood traumas. These unaddressed traumas can negatively impact their own well-being and their ability to provide consistent, supportive care to children. Many caregivers also report never having received therapy to address these early experiences—until now.

To help break the cycles of generational trauma, the CAC offers a specialized trauma therapy program just for caregivers. This individualized, evidence-informed treatment supports adults in healing from their own childhood trauma so they can more effectively care for the children in their lives.

Program Goals:

• Reduce symptoms related to childhood trauma in adult caregivers
• Strengthen caregivers' use of positive, trauma-informed parenting strategies
• Increase caregivers’ abilities to prevent further neglect or maltreatment of children in their lives

Eligibility Requirements:

• Residents of Oswego County
• Be a caregiver to a child (e.g., parent, grandparent, foster/adoptive parent, aunt/uncle, etc.)
• Have a personal history of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) they are ready to explore and address in therapy

Program Details:

Therapy is available in-person at both our Fulton and Pulaski locations. Telehealth sessions may be available upon request.

This program is offered at no cost to eligible caregivers, made possible through a contract awarded by the Oswego County Department of Social Services, Division of Mental Hygiene, utilizing Opioid Abatement funding.

For additional information or to make a referral, please contact: CAC Clinical Director – Melanie Smith, LMHC-D at (315) 592-4453 (ext. 3131) or melanie.smith@oswegocac.org

Please visit the following resources to learn more about ACEs:

ACEs Aware
CDC Information on ACEs
Video - Understanding ACEs with Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
Video - How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime

Click here to review the ACEs screening questionnaire.

Mental Health Services
The Victim Intervention Mental Health Counseling Program at the Child Advocacy Center provides individual, group and family therapy to child victims of physical and sexual abuse, child witnesses to violence, and children who are drug endangered or severely neglected/maltreated. The program employs credentialed and Licensed Mental Health Professionals, who have received specialized training in treating children who have survived a traumatic experience.

Counseling Process
Once a referral is made, the Clinical Director will contact the family within two business days.  At the beginning of counseling, the non-offending parent/caretaker will meet with the counselor for an intake appointment.  After two to six sessions, the counselor will make an initial assessment for continuation of services or make appropriate referrals to other therapeutic providers.  The focus of counseling will be determined by the needs of the family. Typically the focus is on alleviating any Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms that the family is experiencing.  Trauma– Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client Centered Therapy, Play Therapy, Sand tray Therapy, and Art Therapy modalities are used.  The decision to terminate counseling occurs when the child, the child’s family and the counselor agree it is time.