Intervention, Stabilization, Healing
CornerHouse works closely with each family to intervene when abuse is disclosed, provide crisis support and create safety plans, and help youth and families heal through advocacy and mental health services.
Forensic Interview
A forensic interview is a semi-structured conversation with a child, teen, or vulnerable adult regarding allegations of experiencing or witnessing abuse. CornerHouse provides a safe and welcoming space where individuals can share their experience in their own words.
Our interviews are conducted by highly trained professionals who ask a series of non-leading, developmentally appropriate questions with the goal of eliciting detailed information that assist child abuse investigations. Caregivers have the opportunity to meet with an advocate during the interview to learn more about the interview process, to discuss concerns, to identify resources, and to understand next steps.
Coordinated Response
The Children’s Advocacy Center model brings together a multidisciplinary team of professionals to create a coordinated response to child abuse. Prosecutors and investigators watch the interview live from another room via closed circuit television.
This team along with medical professionals and advocates work together to identify next steps. This process prevents youth from sharing reports of abuse to other professionals limiting further trauma while connecting them to a broad array of services to encourage stability and healing.
advocacy and mental health
Youth and caregivers who come to CornerHouse for a forensic interview have access to services that support families from the forensic interview through their healing journey - providing a continuum of care. Our CornerHouse advocates accompany caregivers while children participate in the forensic interview to talk through immediate concerns, identify needs, and consider next steps. We offer ongoing support services that include safety planning, victim and investigation support, ongoing case management, and therapeutic mental health services.
Support Groups
CornerHouse Support Groups are twelve-week programs held up to three times per year for adolescents, children, and their caregivers to work towards healing following an experience of abuse or trauma. Family Group is curriculum-based and offers opportunities for children (ages 5-12) and caregivers to learn educational material and process their individual experiences. Adolescent Girl Group is curriculum-based and offers opportunities for adolescent girls (ages 13-15) to learn educational material and process their individual experiences.
Each week, a different topic is addressed related to abuse and healing from trauma. In the family group, the information is provided to the children through directive play therapy: a combination of games, books, puppets, short films, and art activities. Caregivers experience culturally relevant support and information provided through a variety of activities. In the adolescent girl group, the services address the unique developmental needs of adolescents. Through group engagement, participants learn how to identify emotions, and how to feel and express emotions in healthy ways, how to assert boundaries, and process their own experiences of abuse.
Support Group can help:
Strengthen family relationships
Provide support to help adolescents, children and caregivers understand, integrate, and heal from their experience
Decrease isolation that those affected by abuse may experience
Additional services
CornerHouse provides prevention education, consultation, and community education. For more information, contact Clinical Services Director, Jennifer Markworth at jenniferm@cornerhousemn.org.
CornerHouse is available for expert testimony in cases related to child abuse. For more information, email info@cornerhousemn.org.