A partnership between local native tribes and the Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP) recently opened a new child advocacy center in the village of Hooper Bay.
The Bay Haven Child Advocacy Center will provide Hooper Bay and the nearby villages of Scammon Bay and Chevak with resources for people who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assault. Until this center opened, the only option for children seeking support was an hour flight by bush plane to Bethel, the regional hub more than 100 miles away. Rendering assistance to a child in Bethel often required multiple trips and successive conversations with different case workers. Tribal Administrator for the Native Village of Hooper Bay Jan Olson commented, “Having a child to tell their story over and over, that’s just reliving their trauma.”
Renovation of the facility in Hooper Bay’s Sea Lion Building was completed in April. The Bay Haven Child Advocacy Center opened on May 16 and will provide aftercare and survivor groups. Its goal is to embrace cultural values and holistic approaches as children and families heal.
Image at top: The Bay Haven Child Advocacy Center in Hooper Bay. Photo courtesy of RurAL CAP.
