Community Partners Host Eighth Annual Child Abuse Prevention Symposium
Virtual community-wide training event to be held April 14
Each April — in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month — Crescent House, Navicent Health encourages discussion of this important topic through an annual Child Abuse Prevention Symposium. The in-person event planned for 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but has been transformed into a virtual event for 2021.
In partnership with Resilient Middle Georgia, this year’s free Adversity & Resilience Symposium will be held virtually on Wednesday, April 14 from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Topics will not only include information about child abuse, but also suicide and trauma, building connections to build resilience, the influence of adverse experiences and healing from within.
“Recognizing that children aren’t just some of our community’s most vulnerable members, but also our future, we must do all we can to protect them and help them grow into strong, healthy adults,” said Atrium Health Navicent President and CEO Delvecchio Finley. “Atrium Health Navicent and the Crescent House, Navicent Health are proud to partner with Resilient Middle Georgia and the Exchange Club of Macon to provide this community education and training as a means of improving our community’s health and wellness, elevating hope and advancing healing for all.”
The event is open to the public. Law enforcement, educators, healthcare professionals, social workers and mental health providers are particularly encouraged to attend. Participants may register at https://navicenthealth.org/adversity-resilience-symposium.html
“Traumatic experiences often create long-lasting effects, and creating more opportunities in our area to inform community members and providers of those effects will allow us to build a stronger and more resilient community,” said Jill Vanderhoek, executive director of Community Partnership and co-lead of Resilient Middle Georgia. “We are excited to be able to partner with Atrium Health Navicent this year and help share this information to a larger audience through a virtual symposium.”
Crescent House, Navicent Health – a children’s advocacy center designed to meet the needs of children who have made allegations of abuse – has cared more than 13,000 children since it began providing services in 1997. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that enables specially trained professionals to conduct effective, consistent, non-threatening interviews and examinations of children who have made allegations of abuse. It is a “one-stop shop,” utilizing a multidisciplinary team approach to the investigation, treatment and prevention of child abuse.
“Child Abuse Prevention Month and our annual symposium helps us focus our attention on how we can protect our children and prevent child abuse,” said Kemberlie Sanderson, Manager of Crescent House, Navicent Health. “By actively engaging with our children, we can provide them the opportunity to live safe, secure and carefree lives.”
About Atrium Health Navicent
Atrium Health Navicent, the leading provider of health care in central and south Georgia, is committed to its mission of elevating health and wellbeing through compassionate care. Providing more than 1,000 beds and offering care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region, Atrium Health Navicent provides care for health care consumers’ through an academic medical center; community, pediatric and rehabilitation hospitals; urgent care centers; physician practices; diagnostic centers; home health; hospice and palliative care; and a life plan community. Atrium Health Navicent is dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. For more information, please visit www.NavicentHealth.org.