About the Bridge of Hope
Child Advocacy Center
The Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center facilitates a child-focused approach to child abuse cases by coordinating investigation and intervention services, bringing together professionals and agencies as a multidisciplinary team. The key components of our Center include forensic interviewing, medical evaluations, advocacy and support, therapeutic intervention coordination, case review and tracking. Our organization's service area includes the Nebraska counties of Arthur, Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Grant, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hooker, Keith, Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Perkins, Red Willow and Thomas.
Our Goals
- To reduce trauma suffered by a child victim during the investigation
- To strengthen families during the investigation process
- To coordinate an effective and routine response to allegations of child sexual and physical abuse and neglect
- To ensure routine professional training is provided for the Multidisciplinary Team that coordinates with the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center
Our Accreditation
The Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center has been an accredited member of the National Children’s Alliance (NCA) since November 2008. NCA is the national association and accrediting body for more than 750 children’s advocacy centers, serving each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Dedicated to helping communities respond to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective, efficient, and put the needs of child victims of abuse first, the National Children’s Alliance provides support and advocacy to its accredited membership, as well as developing centers, Multidisciplinary Teams and child abuse professionals around the country, and the world.
The Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center is also proud to be a part of the Nebraska Alliance of Child Advocacy Centers, which offers an innovative way of serving abused children through a comprehensive approach to services for victims and their families. The goal of the Nebraska Alliance is to ensure that children are not re-victimized by the very system designed to protect them.
Our History
In the year 2003, eleven children in Nebraska died as a result of child abuse. In light of this tragic and startling fact, then-Governor Johanns formed a Children's Task Force composed of 36 individuals from across the state to analyze Nebraska's child welfare system. One of the recommendations from the task force was to expand availability of Child Advocacy Centers in Nebraska.
In May 2004, individuals from the Lincoln County Attorney's Office, area law enforcement agencies, the Department of Health and Human Services, mental health and medical professionals, victim advocates and concerned citizens came together to discuss the need for a Child Advocacy Center in west-central Nebraska. The group pursued funding, and the city of North Platte was soon chosen to house Nebraska's seventh Center.
On Oct. 1, 2004, the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center was incorporated, eventually becoming an independent non-profit corporation with a 501(c)3 status. In April 2005, work began on a capital campaign to fund the purchase of a facility. With news spreading about the Child Advocacy Center project and the benefits it would have for children reporting child abuse, an individual donor came forward and in October 2005 donated a home to be used as the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center. Community members, businesses and organizations came together to accomplish needed renovations to the structure. In February 2007, the Center opened its doors and provided services that very day.
In 2015, Nebraska Alliance of Child Advocacy Centers was able to secure additional funding to increase the coverage of our rural areas which lead to the opening of our satellite office located in Ogallala, NE in July 2016.
