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Community Partner Spotlight: A Safe Place Inc, Nantucket

June 16, 2025

For nearly 30 years, Children’s Cove has provided hope and healing for children across Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. This is accomplished through collaborative partnerships with local and regional investigative agencies, which allow for a coordinated, multidisciplinary response to cases involving children who have been victims of or witnesses to crime. Ensuring a trauma-informed and child-friendly investigative process is critical in the work we do in the region.

Just as critical is the care children and non-offending families receive following the initial investigation. Once a child makes a disclosure, there may be significant life disruptions for them and their family. Having quick and close resources at hand is critical, which can only be accomplished through community partnerships across the region. When we work with children and families on Nantucket, our most relied upon partner is A Safe Place, Inc.

Since 1987, A Safe Place has played a crucial role in the Nantucket community, offering free and confidential services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Dedicated to ending violence and empowering individuals, the organization provides direct support, preventive education, supervised family visitation, crisis intervention, counseling, and advocacy. Children’s Cove and A Safe Place have collaborated for over two decades, coordinating care for child victims and their non-offending family members on the island.

A Safe Place, Inc. stands as a vital pillar of support and advocacy, fully committed to eliminating domestic violence and sexual assault on Nantucket. As a free and confidential resource, it offers a lifeline to individuals from all backgrounds, regardless of race, color, immigration status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, ensuring critical support is accessible to everyone in need.

At its core, A Safe Place provides a comprehensive suite of services designed for immediate relief, ongoing healing, and empowerment. A central component is their 24-hour hotline (508-228-2111), offering immediate crisis intervention and emotional support to those impacted by violence. Beyond crisis response, they facilitate various support groups, creating safe spaces for survivors to connect and find solidarity. Individual trauma therapy is also a cornerstone, providing professional guidance through the healing process. Additionally, A Safe Place assists with the legal process, helping individuals navigate the justice system for protection and accountability. Integrated interpretive services highlight their commitment to accessibility, ensuring language is never a barrier to receiving help.

A Safe Place is also deeply invested in proactive community outreach and education. They regularly host events and conduct training programs to raise awareness, challenge harmful norms, and foster a culture of prevention. By engaging with schools, businesses, and community groups, they educate the public on the signs of domestic violence and sexual assault, promote healthy relationships, and equip individuals to intervene safely and effectively. This preventive approach is crucial for breaking cycles of violence and building a safer, more informed community for future generations.

The importance of A Safe Place to the Nantucket community cannot be overstated, especially given the unique challenges of island life. Nantucket’s geographical isolation can make it difficult to access specialized services from the mainland, making A Safe Place a critical, often sole, dedicated resource for these issues. The island’s tight-knit nature, while fostering strong bonds, can also make it harder for victims to come forward due to fear of judgment or lack of anonymity. A Safe Place’s unwavering commitment to confidentiality and non-judgmental support is paramount, providing a haven where survivors feel safe enough to seek help.

We are continually honored to call the team at A Safe Place our community partners in our vision to have a community free from abuse. We look forward to expanding the ways in which we serve the Nantucket community together.

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Welcome to the Team: Sheena Miller

June 17, 2025

Our team is excited to introduce Sheena Miller, the Mental Health Coordinator for Children’s Cove! Sheena joined our team at the end of May, who upon her start brought our team to 10 members, and fully staffed our Center. Sheena’s addition to our team allows us to more readily address the growing need for specialized clinical services in the region. Over the last year Children’s Cove has strategically shifted to being able to provide on-site clinical services. In addition to coordinating referrals with partner agencies, Sheena’s addition will allow us to meet the increased demand driven by rising referrals.

Following investigations of crimes against children, Children’s Cove team members most often coordinate referrals for community-based support services local to the child and their non-offending family. However, the need for specialized clinical care has outpaced the availability of behavioral health services throughout the region. Children and families often face waiting lists for months—or longer—to access the clinical services they need after trauma. There are more referrals for Problematic Sexual Behavior in children which need specific treatment modalities and family work.  Ensuring access to evidence-based trauma informed practices is essential for effective care, and as child advocacy center, we must ensure the most vulnerable members of our community receive support sooner.

Sheena Miller joins Children’s Cove to address a range of behavioral health needs. For children with specialized or immediate clinical needs who access Children’s Cove services, Sheena will provide trauma-informed clinical care to support both the child and their family. For families without an immediate need—or for whom traveling to Children’s Cove presents a challenge—Sheena will assist in finding and coordinating appropriate clinical care closer to home.

Sheena holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Georgia and has extensive experience in mental health and clinical social work roles in Florida. Her background includes working with children and families in outpatient, community-based, school-based, and intensive clinical settings. Having recently relocated to the region, Sheena sought to contribute to the community where the need is greatest.

We look forward to our community and behavioral health partners getting to know Sheena, and for the excellent work she will do with the children we serve. Welcome to the team!

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You’re Not Alone on the Cape & Islands

April 1, 2025

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This month is a rallying cry across the state and nation to urge our community to come together to make a difference. To increase  access to services for anyone who may need them, it is critical to raise the visibility of the services available to our community.

At Children’s Cove, we are among the hundreds of professionals serving the most vulnerable in our community. We partner often with Independence House, a Safe Place Nantucket and CONNECT to End Violence as the sexual and domestic violence agencies who support and serve Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. We know that sexual abuse, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation impacts people of all ages, genders, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

If you are, or know of a victim of abuse and don’t know where to turn, there is community support available. You are not alone. No matter what has happened, no matter what someone has said, no matter your fears: you are not alone. You have not done anything wrong, and you are not in trouble. Ask for help. There is an entire community that will believe you.

Our Partner Agencies:

Independence House, Inc., Hyannis  800.439.6507

A Safe Place, Inc., Nantucket  508.228.2111

CONNECT to End Violence, Martha’s Vineyard Commuity Servces  508.696.7233

DCF Child-At-Risk HOTLINE, Hyannis  800.792.5200

If you are not sure who to call, or where to seek support, click here.

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Welcome to the Team: Heidi Friedel

February 13, 2025

Children’s Cove continues to meet an increase in the need for services and support to the community in responding to crimes against children. In addition to increased referrals from partner agencies, Children’s Cove has also experienced an increase in demand for education and training across the Cape and Islands to recognize, respond to, and prevent child sexual abuse. To meet this rising demand, the organization has expanded staffing to its Education and Training program.

During the past fiscal year, the Children’s Cove team was joined by Anna Colby as Community Engagement Specialist, and through this added position, our education and training program doubled the number of community delivered programs from the previous year. The role of Community Engagement Specialist was made possible through funding courtesy the Massachusetts Children’s Alliance and has proven to be an invaluable tool in furthering Children’s Cove’s commitment to provide accurate and effective information on all aspects of child sexual abuse.

Anna has since transitioned to the role of Child Exploitation Program Coordinator within the organization and has completed training as a forensic interviewer, however her efforts in furthering the reach of our education and training team are a benchmark achievement. To maintain and continue to grow our outreach initiatives, Heidi Friedel has joined Children’s Cove as the Community Programs Coordinator.

Heidi grew up on Cape Cod in Harwich and received her Bachelor of Science from Liberty University. Heidi worked locally as a therapeutic mentor before continuing her work supporting children, teens and families in Texas. Heidi looks forward to supporting the mission of Children’s Cove by engaging with the community to build positive working relationships and raise awareness about child sexual abuse. She will coordinate child abuse prevention initiatives, informational and awareness events, as well as the Children’s Cove volunteer program.

We are excited to have Heidi join our team and look forward to the impact she will make to create a community where children are free of abuse, have a voice that is heard, and where they enjoy healthy, safe, and empowered lives.

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Welcome to the Team: Vicki Bice, PNP

December 18, 2024

The team at Children’s Cove is pleased to welcome our new Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Vicki Bice. In October Vicki was hired by The Massachusetts Department of Public Health to train and serve as the region’s PediSANE. Vicki will undergo several months of on-site facilitated training and observation as part of the onboarding process at Children’s Cove.

As the Child Advocacy Center for the Cape and Islands, Children’s Cove coordinates the multidisciplinary response to child victims of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, witness to domestic violence, and commercial sexual exploitation. This includes an investigative component, as well as coordination of community-based services, mental health referrals, and medical care. The specially trained Pediatric SANE nurse provides expert medical care, including the ability to provide or coordinate a medical forensic examination.

After a child has made the brave choice to disclose their abuse, there is often the question, “Is my body ok?”. The PediSANE plays a crucial role in providing reassurance for a child, while attending to discoveries that could aid an investigation. The position is further designed to:

• Provide an onsite visual medical exam in a child-friendly setting
• Ensure the health and safety of child through a non-invasive exam “using a do no harm approach”
• Identify, educate and provide referrals for instances of Sexually Transmitted Infections and/or pregnancy
• To photo-document and collect evidence if indicated.
• Support the child in their wellness.

During the exam, the PediSANE does not:

• Use any invasive tools
• Cause any pain
• Interview the child
• Speculate if anything did or did not happen

All medical exams are completed privately on site and with parental permission. Our PediSANE can act as a liaison and consultant to the child’s pediatrician as well.

Vicki Bice holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Colorado and is certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She has previously served as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Bramblebush Pediatrics in Falmouth, MA., as well as for Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Penn. Vicki’s experience also includes serving as a contracted medical staff member for the United States Air Force in various locations.

Children’s Cove is both happy and fortunate to have Vicki join our team and look forward to her working with other medical providers across our community toward the health and wellness of children receiving support.

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Community Partner Spotlight: Cape Cod Children’s Place

October 21, 2024

Children’s Cove works closely with a vast network of community partners across the region. Fundamental relationships are maintained with those who are a part of a multidisciplinary team, (law enforcement, district attorney’s offices, The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, and The Massachusetts Department of Public Health)Additionally, Children’s Cove is engaged in relationships with service organizations accepting referrals as a part of the support process for children and their non-offending family members.

Relationships that Children’s Cove maintain with youth-serving organizations across the region are critical when we consider the essential elements of the prevention of child abuse. This necessary dynamic is best described as per language used in the national accreditation standards set forth by the National Children’s Alliance, “The numbers of individuals who need and would benefit from prevention education, training and related services may exceed the capacity of any one agency.” Children’s Cove has partnered with numerous regional agencies to provide prevention education across the communities of Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. One of the most critical partners is Cape Cod Children’s Place.

Cape Cod Children’s Place, with a primary location in Eastham, and a secondary location in Yarmouth, is an early education and care program serving Mid to Outer Cape Cod. In addition to providing year-round, full-day early education and care for children of preschool age, they also provide free parent education programs and free playgroups promoting early literacy and community connections for isolated families. As community needs have evolved, CCCP has continued to develop new services to meet those needs, including programs to support families affected by substance use disorder and support groups for grandparents raising grandchildren.

In 2020, Children’s Cove was a key partner in CCCP obtaining the Children’s Trust SAFE (Strengthening All Families Everywhere) Child Communities grant from the Children’s Trust. The grant focuses on abuse prevention education and strengthening a family’s resiliency in experiences of trauma. Since that time, Children’s Cove and CCCP have provided numerous ongoing in-person and online abuse prevention education programs for parents and caregivers across the region in English, Spanish and Portuguese. One such program for parents titled “In the Interest of Every Child” provides information about specific prevention tips, conversations for children of all ages, and how to access confidential support if a child makes a disclosure. Children’s Cove and CCCP utilize the programming provided through the Children’s Trust “Keeping Kids Safe” curriculum and the Massachusetts Children’s Alliance “Recognizing and Responding to Abuse” curriculum to share  evidenced based information to parents and caregivers.

Using evidence-based frameworks while applying proven research observations in regard to the brain development of children, our collaborative work toward prevention is focused on developing understanding, and increasing family access to what are known as the “Five Protective Factors.” These protective factors include:

• Parental Resilience: Having the skills and ability to cope and bounce back from challenges.
• Social Connections: Having friends, family, and community to provide emotional support and assistance.
• Concrete support in times of need: The knowledge and ability to access life-essentials such as food, clothing and housing when there is need.
• Knowledge of parenting and child development: Accurate information and skill development in raising children with appropriate expectations and interventions.
• Childrens social and emotional development: Understanding a child’s ability to interact positively with others and teaching them to communicate their emotions.

The programming and staff at CCCP provide education and skill development around these protective factors and incorporate them in all the work they do. More than that, however, there is a critical component surrounding the enduring application of this work; which is helping move community-based agencies in a shared direction of promoting prevention.

While Children’s Cove and CCCP are proud to emphasize the potential of our collaborative work, CCCP deserves special recognition for providing so much more to the Cape Cod communities it serves. The whole of CCCP’s work is no less than a comprehensive safety net  featuring direct early education and care services, family resources, co-location with the Outer Cape WIC office, hosting the Immigration Resource Center staff, healthy parenting courses and so much more.

Cape Cod Children’s Place has been an essential part of the Outer Cape community for decades, and a close community partner for just as long. We are excited  to continue our collaborative work to create a community free from abuse for children in the for many years to come.

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