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ABOUT US

Child Protection Team Program of Help A Child, Inc. (HAC) tends to the needs of children and families in Pinellas County, and to children in neighboring counties who are transported to All Children’s Hospital (ACH) in St. Petersburg. We are celebrating our 25th anniversary in 2004 – under the guidance of our Executive Director, Patsy Buker, who has been with the team from its inception. We pride ourselves at the team for our longevity and permanence in the community. Over the years, the agency has grown from two programs at ACH (CPT and Medical Foster Care), to a larger entity – HAC, which serves many needs for the community, addressing abuse and prevention. When our CPT split away from ACH in 1988, we formed our own Board of Directors and became Suncoast Child Protection Team, Inc. As SCPT, we expanded to include a third program addressing non-dependency abuse. In 2001, SCPT became HAC, Inc. to serve as the umbrella agency for the three existing programs, and to add yet another three programs in 2002 and 2003. The CPT Program continues to be the largest program of HAC. And we continue to grow and develop – as an agency and as individuals within the agency – to meet the demands of an evolving field.

Our mission statement is to identify and ultimately reduce the incidence of child abuse, and to enhance the strength and well-being of families within our diverse communities, in order to nurture safe, healthy and happy children. [ Top ]

CONTACT STAFF MEMBERS
Pasco Family Protection Team, Inc.
7511 Little Road Bldg. C
New Port Richey, Florida 34654-5531
Phone 727-845-8080
Fax 727-848-1292
E-mail: greategret@juno.com

Team Members
CPT PROGRAM STAFF MEMBERS

HAC, Inc. Executive Director Patsy Buker, EdS (727) 544-5599
CPT Program Medical Director Sally Smith, MD (727) 544-3900
Extension 132
CPT Program Coordinator Dottie Jarrett, MSW Extension 128
Senior Child Protection Specialist Joan Burns, AMIA Extension 126
Senior Child Protection Specialist Douglas Bonar, LMHC Extension 123
Child Protection Specialist Suzie McAree, MS Extension 136
Child Protection Specialist Lisa Kirkland, MSW Extension 129
Child Protection Specialist Ellen Smith, BA Extension 145
Child Protection Specialist Sara Gagan, MSW Extension 156
Child Protection Specialist Carmen Pupo, LMHC Extension 162
Child Protection Specialist Allison Cline, BA Extension 155
Intake Specialist Marcia Conley, BA Extension 146
Intake Specialist Atiq Rahman, BA Extension 157
On Site Consultants:
Medical consultant Julie Cheek, MD Extension 158
Medical consultant Sandy Shulman, ARNP Extension 158
Medical consultant Heather Girk, ARNP Extension 158
Medical consultant Tomika Harris, ARNP Extension 158
Medical consultant Gail Dobransky, ARNP Extension 158
Medical consultant Maurice Brazil, ARNP Extension 158

PROGRAMS
Other Help A Child Inc. Programs

The Allyn B. Giffin Medical Foster Care Program is the first and most established medical foster care program in the state of Florida. The program, started in 1979, continues to be directed by the original Program Coordinator, Maureen Barnash, R.N.S. The program consists of a core group of nurses and social workers at HAC, and approximately 20 licensed foster care homes providing placement for children with special medical needs. Each child placed in a medical foster care home has a primary care physician and a nurse who oversee all of the child’s medical care. The MFC nurse maintains close contact with every medical foster care home, and accompanies children to many medical appointments with the foster parent. The assigned nurse and the program social worker collaborate with the biological family to ensure weekly visits with the child, attendance at all medical appointments, and to assist in the completion of the protective services case plan. All visits are supervised by the foster parents and/or MFC staff. This program is funded by the Florida Department of Health, the Pinellas County Juvenile Welfare Board, and the Infinity League to Aid Abused Children and Adults, Inc.

The Child Abuse Recovery Services (CARS) Program is funded through the Florida Attorney General’s Office (Victims of Crime Act – VOCA fund), the City of St. Petersburg, and the Pinellas County Commission. It is designed to help meet the needs of victims of non-dependency abuse. The program’s objectives are to minimize the effects of abuse on the child and to reduce the impact of the crisis on the family members. The program provides medical services to help diagnose abuse, and treatment services such as individual and group counseling. Robyn Royall, MSW is the Program Coordinator of the CARS Program.

The Parent Aide Program is a prevention program, which matches trained volunteers to parents with young children. Parent aides are trained to respond to the parents with emotionally supportive friendship, encouragement, and possible referrals. Length of participation is driven by the family’s needs. There is no fee to parents for the participation. John Sanguinett, B.A. is the Program Coordinator of the Parent Aide Program. It is funded by the Juvenile Welfare Board, the City of St. Petersburg, and the Pinellas County Commission.

The Safe Start Partnership is a partnership between community agencies to prevent and reduce the impact of violence on children between birth and six years old. HAC is the lead agency with the two domestic violence centers in the county (CASA and The Haven), the Pinellas County Health Department, and the local information and referral line (211 Tampa Bay Cares, Inc.). The Partnership is funded through a grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, administered via the Juvenile Welfare Board. The Partnership provides 24-hour assistance, crisis intervention, assessment, referrals, consultation and training. Pat Heinzer, LCSW is the Program Coordinator for the Partnership.

The SAVE Team, under the direction of the CARS Program, provides forensic examinations to victims of rape and sexual battery. HAC took over the SAVE Team in July 2003, and coordinates with the Health Department to provide the forensic service for law enforcement agencies.

SERVICES OFFERED THROUGH THE CHILD PROTECTION TEAM

Medical examinations
Medical consultation
Psychological and psychiatric assessments
Family psychosocial assessments
Forensic interviews
Specialized interviews
Multi-agency and full team staffings
Expert court testimony
Case coordination
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TRAINING
Puse. [ Top ]

DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS TO HAC, INC.

From the north

Take I-75 or I-4 to I-275 and proceed south to exit 28 in Pinellas County. Head west (to the right – the only way off) and turn right at 49th Street North, approximately 3 miles from the interstate. (There is a big Albertsons at the corner.) Take a u-turn just after you pass 8800 on the left side of the road. We are in the 8800 Office Park, Suite 410.

Or take Rt. 19 headed south into Pinellas County. Pass Ulmerton Road (Rt. 688) and proceed approximately three miles. Turn right onto 49th Street North (southbound), soon after the traffic light at 110th Avenue North. 8800 is less than a half a mile from the 49th street turnoff.

From the south

Again, get to I-75 and take I-275 into Pinellas County. Get off at Exit 28 and turn left, toward the west. Follow the directions above. Rt. 19 turns into I-275 head north. Stay on I-275 rather than getting back onto Rt. 19.


8800 49th St
Pinellas Park, FL
33782-5353, US

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