Brooke’s Place at CAC Hope House
Children’s Advocacy Center – Hope House is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of child abuse in our community. They provide a path to recovery and a bridge to justice for victims of abuse. CAC Hope House offers forensic interviewing, family advocacy, counseling services, and prevention outreach within St. Tammany and Washington Parishes.
Over the past four years, they have seen a 58.6% increase in the demand for forensic interviews from our local law enforcement and DCFS partners. In 2020, the staff conducted forensic interviews for 331 cases. By 2024, that number had risen to 525 children seeking our services. CAC has outgrown their current space, making it increasingly difficult to meet the needs of our community.
Law enforcement and DCFS frequently need to schedule forensic interviews, but due to limited space, existing appointments take priority. These scheduling conflicts result in delays that hinder best practices for responding promptly to a child’s outcry. Research shows a strong correlation between the timeliness of forensic interviews and the effectiveness of intervention following a child’s initial disclosure of abuse.
To expand their capacity and provide additional forensic interviews, family advocacy, and therapy services, Hope House is working to build Brooke’s Place at Hope House. This new facility will include a dedicated forensic interviewing and observation suite, therapy offices, a training room, and family advocacy spaces.
Located on the same grounds as the current Hope House, Brooke’s Place is named in honor of the late, Brooke Erin Posey, whose passion for life brought joy and admiration to all who knew her. The project, expected to commence in late 2025, will be made possible through a Gift Given in Jesus’ Name and a generous private donor.
All funds raised, up to $130,000, will be matched dollar for dollar.
View the design of Brooke’s Place at Hope House HERE.