Child Protection Center Awarded Grant for Therapy

March 23, 2022 – Sarasota

The Child Protection Center, Inc. (CPC) has received funding from the MSC Foundation of Michael Saunders & Company. This grant will provide support for CPC’s Therapy services, providing treatment for the children and families who’ve experienced the traumas of child abuse.

CPC’s Therapy program consists of the Sexual Abuse Treatment Program (SATP) and the Kid Kindness Program (KKP), both designed to serve children who have been physically and/or sexually abused, those children exhibiting problematic sexual behaviors, and their non-offending caregivers and siblings, providing free mental health support for victims and their families.

The nonprofit’s Therapy program has been experiencing a drastic increase in services as the organization continues to face the effects of COVID-19 and the simultaneous population growth. “The pandemic created a greater demand for all of CPC’s programs and services,” said Doug Staley, CPC’s Executive Director. “Specifically, the severity of child abuse increased and CPC’s Therapy Program had a waiting list of over 70 children who had been physically or sexually abused in need of services. This in itself is an epidemic.” The Child Protection Center has reported that through expanding staff, the waiting list has been reduced to 39. “While we are very pleased to announce such progress thanks to the dedication and expertise of our staff, we must continue our efforts of expanding our programming so that each and every child has immediate access to these treatment services. No child should have to wait for therapy.”

This vital funding provided by the MSC Foundation will support the Child Protection Center’s immediate needs within their Therapy program. This support is made possible through the generosity of the Michael Saunders & Company’s agents, who choose to voluntarily donate a portion of their real estate commission on each transaction, and the voluntary contributions of their staff.

The Child Protection Center’s mission is the Prevention, Intervention, & Treatment of Child Abuse, as the organization envisions a community where children are safe from abuse and free to thrive. For over 40 years, CPC has been serving Sarasota and DeSoto Counties in the State of Florida, and is accredited by the National Children’s Alliance. For more information on CPC, visit www.cpcsarasota.org or call 941-365-1277.