Mission Statement
Established in 1994, the mission of Deirdre’s House (the Center) is to provide a secure, nurturing, home-like environment that lessens the trauma and provides a source of healing and hope for children who have suffered abuse and/or neglect or have witnessed domestic violence. In 2014, the Center provided services to over 2,000 of Morris County’s child victims.
Description
Deirdre’s House plays a critical role in Morris County’s ability to address the needs of childhood victims of physical and sexual abuse. The Center is the only site in Morris County were a child victim under the age of 12 can be interviewed, medically examined and treated, digitally recorded, and counseled, all under one roof. This non-threatening atmosphere greatly contributes to the ability of the child victim to relax and more freely disclose the horrific details of the abuse, which are oftentimes embarrassing and deeply personal. Since 1996, Deirdre’s House has provided services to over 24,000 children.
If the Center did not exist, the child would first have to be interviewed and processed at a police facility, examined in a hospital emergency room, and counseled at yet another location, thus increasing the psychological and physical trauma and stress for an already badly traumatized child.
The Center is also the only satellite medical clinic in Morris County staffed by a state designated Pediatric Abuse Specialist. Due to the unique qualifications of this physician, she is the expert witness of choice and the doctor most qualified to diagnose and treat Morris County ’s child victims.
