Category: Published

This article was originally published in the Lynn Haven Ledger/Gulf Coast Gazette in September, 2017 as a means of informing the community of the assistance and various programs they provide to abused children and adults.

Your child stands in front of you, their eyes huge pools of sadness and disillusionment, tears running down their face, when you hear the words of your nightmares brought to life in your baby who is no longer innocent of the deviancy in this world. What do you do? After calling the Hotline’s number 1-800-96-ABUSE, the Police show up, and then everything changes forever.

Lori Allen, the Executive Director of Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center for the past six years, is a passionate and focused advocate for children and adults who have been the victims of violence and sexual abuse.

Her career in child welfare spans eleven years. She credits a lot of her success to her dad, a Major at the Sheriff’s office, who, as Lori says, “instilled within me the value of a career in service with purposeful work.”

Pam Smoak is the founder of the Children’s Advocacy Center. Some years ago she recognized a huge need and decided to meet it. As an attorney she saw how children, who had been victims of abuse, were made to repeat their horrific story of assault and abuse multiple times to law enforcement, social services, and counselors, usually in the same interrogation setting their accuser had been. She felt it was unfair to the children, and only increased their trauma.

So Pam set aside a small room in her office, filled it with toys her own children no longer played with, and used it as a safe environment. And so it began.

Gulf Coast CAC’s Mission Statement says it all very well: “To protect and enhance the quality of life for victims of sexual violence and child abuse in our community by providing a trauma sensitive, specialized approach to assess, identify, treat and prevent sexual assault and child abuse through the coordination of community resources.”

Gulf Coast CAC’s teams have grown to more than 50 employees and contractors, and they’ve been able to branch out to assist in more ways. In July of 2015 they took on the responsibility for adult rape crisis. They have offices in Panama City, Blountstown, Marianna, Bonifay, Port St Joe, and Chipley.

Below is a short synopsis of the various programs they currently have in place. To get more information and find out how you can make a difference, please visit their extensive website: www.gulfcoastcac.org.

Child Protection Team

The Child Protection Team is responsible for evaluating and assessing possible child abuse and/or neglect. The team provides recommendations for intervention, and they supplement the investigation activities of the Department of Children and Families.

Their services include medical diagnosis and treatment, psychosocial assessment, specialized interviews, and forensic interviews.

Sexual Assault Program

Sexual Abuse Treatment Programs are designed to provide treatment to victims of child sexual abuse and their family members with a range of counseling services.

Kids Court

This program is designed to reduce the stress for children of testifying in court. The team uses games, discussion, role playing, visual aids, and relaxation techniques, to name a few, to equip them with the tools they need to be less anxious in a courtroom setting.

Family Advocacy Program

The Family Advocacy Program is two-fold. It helps victims as well as their parent/guardian through the difficult and lengthy road to recovery, with the team also working alongside the parent/guardian by sharing information and giving emotional support. In addition, they offer crisis counseling and follow-up contact.

Child Abuse Death Review Team

The Child Abuse Death Review Team’s purpose is to reduce child abuse and neglect deaths by reviewing facts and circumstances surrounding these deaths. They seek to discover the causes and contributing factors and work to develop community-based solutions.

Gulf Coast Sexual Assault Program

In July of 2015 the Gulf Coast CAC took on this program to provide service to adults as well as child victims of sexual violence. In July of this year they’ve expanded their scope to include Prevention programs. The 24 hour hotline is available to provide immediate phone crisis intervention services.

Because Gulf Coast CAC is a non-profit, they hold events and fundraisers during the year to bring in much needed funds. They have an upcoming Open House September 5^th, at noon, at 210 East 11^th Street in Panama City, and you don’t need to RSVP – just come and take a look at what they’re doing for the community. Meet some of the staff and some of the recipients of their advocacy work who are now adults themselves and helping others. Listen to their stories so you can hear for yourself just how important Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center is for our communities and find out ways you can help.

Their next fundraising event is the Zombie Run Running Scared 5k that will take place at Harder Park in Panama City on Saturday, September 23^rd from 8:00am to 1:00pm. You can register on their website at www.gulfcoastcac.org or call 850-872-7760.

Gulf Coast CAC is always looking for more helping hearts. The services and programs they provide are at no cost to the victim and their families. This is a huge task to which everyone is dedicated, and the more loving, caring individuals who come alongside to lighten the burden and bring healing to the vulnerable, the better

Amy Cooper’s story of deliverance.   Originally published in the Lynn Haven Ledger/Gulf Coast Gazette in August, 2017

It was her first stroll on the beach in two years, and the first walk she’d thoroughly enjoyed sober and clean in many more years than that. The smell of the salt air and intensity of the blue sky were a healing touch. She had finished out her almost 2 year prison sentence with 90 days in a halfway house in Pensacola, and then home confinement, and now she was almost completely free.

The ankle monitor was a constant reminder of her addictions and failings, but as her feet made indentations in the sand at the edge of the surf, and as the cool foamy water of the Gulf washed over her ankles, she was also reminded of God’s grace and forgiveness in washing it all away.

Amy Cooper, recovering addict, had been given a new mission. She started a blog, called it “Faith at the Beach,” then formed a 501(c)3. That was back in 2012. In 2015 she also established the Kelly Gorman Watson Women’s Center.

Amy’s Mission Statement for Faith at the Beach is John 14:12: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”

She believes wholeheartedly that everyone is valuable to God and worthy of love and forgiveness.

“There’s a stigma with addiction,” Amy confided to me. “Resentment leads to relapse,” because it’s driven by the fear of rejection, and feeling like they’re not being heard.

Amy has been hard at work for the past 5 years. She holds a National Certification in Advanced Clinical Intervention (NCACIP), and is an International Master’s Addictions Coach (IMAC). She works one on one with clients in many capacities.

Here’s a list of some of the services she offers:

• Intervention Services
• Sober and Recovery Coaching
• Food Addiction Coaching
• Self Esteem Coaching
• Drug Testing
• Court Evaluation Referrals
• Facilitating Transportation to and from Detox and Treatment

She receives referrals every day for intervention services. I asked her what some of the questions are she asks a prospective client to see if they’re really ready to change. She said she first asks them when was the last time they were high, what is their drug of choice, how long have they been using, whether they have children, what their living conditions are, and whether they have a job. The answers to these questions help Amy determine just how serious the addict is in really wanting help.

Amy is also a big advocate for 12 step immersion programs, and other support groups, not just for recovering addicts, but for their families as well.   She’s seen it happen before – a family member calling her for help with their wife, husband, son, or daughter, then themselves falling apart once their loved one is on the road to recovery.   Celebrate Recovery is just one resource for families of addicts, to help them on their own journey of recovery from living with and loving an addict and all the emotional trauma that accompanies it.

The Kelly Gorman Watson Women’s Center, named after a friend of Amy’s who lost her battle with addiction, was established as a ministry to come alongside women who are in recovery with practical help for such things as: resume assistance, career search, job training, professional attire, housing search, community hours service, and more.

Faith at the Beach also holds 2 fund raisers each year. The next one coming up in September is the 4^th Annual BeachFAB 5k run/walk.   The fund raiser will take place at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach on Saturday, September 16^th, 2017.   You can get more information about this event from their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/faithatthebeach/ . All the proceeds go toward helping those recovering from alcohol or substance addiction.

Amy’s blog www.faithatthebeach.com is also a great resource of encouragement and information. You can contact her through her blog site, her cell: 850-348-3313, or email: amycooper@faithatthebeach.com.

Here in our own backyard in the Panhandle of Florida it may seem like the opioid epidemic is a battle we’re losing, but the devastatingly difficult job recovering addicts like Amy Cooper do by rescuing those completely without hope and taken captive by their addictions is invaluable. Every single success story is a testament to Amy’s determination and ultimate reliance on God’s strength and forgiveness every day.

If you are struggling with addiction, there is help. There is life after addiction and Amy Cooper will tell you, it’s a wonderful ride when you’re clean and sober.