Mission
CALICO achieves justice and healing for abused children. We achieve justice by bringing together law-enforcement officers, child welfare workers, prosecutors, and other professionals to investigate abuse allegations and elicit testimony from children. We use a nationally proven method designed to attain accurate information while protecting the emotional needs of the victim. We promote healing for victims by coordinating the first and most crucial stages of recovery. Our skilled mental-health clinicians offer guidance, resources and support to help the entire family along the path to physical and mental health and well-being.
How Your Donation Helps
CALICO achieves justice and healing for abused children. Since 1997, CALICO, (the Child Abuse Listening, Interviewing and Coordination Center of Alameda County), has brought together police officers, child welfare workers, prosecutors and other professionals to respond collaboratively to child abuse allegations, hear children’s testimonies, and link children and families with vital therapeutic, medical and legal support services in the community. CALICO’s mission is to provide a supportive environment to interview children and facilitate a collaborative response to child abuse in which the needs of children take precedence.
Every $1,000 donated to CALICO provides a family in crisis with a comprehensive package of services. These services include a quality forensic interview of an abused child by a specially trained professional in a safe environment; crisis intervention and emotional support for the child’s family; and follow up support and referrals for community-based services to help the child and family on the road to justice and healing.
CALICO improves the quality of life of abused children and families in several important ways:
- First, CALICO stops the immediate violence for both the child interviewed and other children to whom the abuser has access.
- Second, by coordinating the response of various agencies, CALICO reduces further trauma to the child that would result from being part of multiple investigations.
- Third, by connecting abused children with therapeutic support, CALICO can break the inter-generational cycle of violence and help a child onto a path of healthy adulthood.
Each year, CALICO aids 600-700 children, adolescents and developmentally disabled adults, most of whom were sexually abused, and many of whom were physically hurt, neglected, exploited as prostitutes, and/or witnessed violence in their homes or communities.
Address:
524 Estudillo AvenueSan Leandro CA 94577