By Jean Schurman
Emma’s House, the Bitterroot Valley’s Children’s Advocacy Center, has gotten too big for its location. Established in 2006, Emma’s House deals with children 18 years and younger that have been abused or neglected and are referred to the center by law enforcement or Child Protective Services. The need has always been here but as awareness has increased, so has the funding for Emma’s House. With the funding increase, more staff has been brought on. Now, the staff must be scheduled so as not to overlap as there is not enough room for everyone to be in the quaint little house on Hamilton’s North Second Street at the same time.
Val Widmer is the director of Emma’s House. She does forensic interviews and has been recognized statewide for her efforts to tailor her interviews to the age she is interviewing. These interviews are done regarding physical abuse, sexual abuse and drug endangerment. The interview room at Emma’s House is very comfortable with quilts on the wall, a small child’s table and chairs, a cozy couch, and stuck up in the corner where it’s not intruding, a camera that records the interview. Law enforcement officials and social workers can watch the interview while it’s being done and offer questions as needed when the interviewer steps out of the room.
Joni Lubke is the development director and spokesperson for Emma’s House. She works part time and spends a large portion of her time writing grants and working on fundraising for the center. The major portion of its yearly operating budget, which is $320,000, is raised at the annual Emma’s House fundraiser which will be September 22 this year at the Fairgrounds Event Center.
Kiersten Schmitt is the office manager. She also works with civic groups, offering training for prevention, and she is the prevention coordinator. Sarah Lindstrom is a registered nurse who performs the medical exams from head to toe. She also works with the children regarding body safety. Amy Race and Jennifer McCormick are mental health counselors. Pete Clarkson recently joined the staff as a family advocate to help families navigate through the court system. Clarkson is a former detective for the Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office and knows the process from investigation on through to the courts for trial and sentencing. And then there is Twila, the support dog who makes life easier for the kids, and the adults.
With all these individuals even working part time, there is just not enough room, so the board of directors and staff began looking for a place that would work for them. The Carriage House, located on North Fourth Street in Hamilton, met their needs. After securing a $30,000 grant from the Rapp Foundation for the downpayment, the purchase was completed.
The current tenants of the Carriage House will be leaving by April 1 and then the work begins. The back area will be remodeled to provide each counselor with their own office and private parking for clients. There will be three therapy rooms, including art therapy. There is a commercial kitchen that Lubke hopes can be used in hosting small gatherings. Eventually they hope to have a therapist on site to counsel parents of these children. Right now, those parents are sent to Missoula. Lubke said they also hope to put an acute care unit in to care for rape victims instead of having them go to Missoula as they have to now. The current house on North Second was just put up for sale and those proceeds will go towards paying off the $425,000 mortgage. Lubke said she will be reaching out to the community for help in fundraising as well as finding as many grants as she can and applying for them.
“Little by little, we’ll pay it off,” said Lubke, who is running a social media campaign that has already netted $75,000.
In 2017, one hundred and twenty-five kids were seen at Emma’s House. Many of these come from families who cannot even provide basic needs such as food, bedding or pay rent. Although money is the best way to donate because the staff can purchase what is specifically needed, other donations will be welcomed at the new facility because there will be storage available.
“We are so grateful for the incredible community support,” said Lubke. “The need is never going to go away.”