CAPA was founded in 1975 as a crisis and information hotline, staffed by members of the Junior Service League, and became a United Way agency in 1978. In the 1980s, CAPA partnered with Children’s Place to develop day treatment programs for victims of child abuse. During this same period, CAPA became a Parent Anonymous support group sponsor and was approved as a State of Missouri contract treatment provider.

 

During the 1990’s, CAPA’s child sexual abuse treatment programs were expanded, and CAPA began collaborating with Head Start in providing parenting education classes and support groups for high-risk families. It was during this time that CAPA became a Jackson County Mental Health Level III service provider. CAPA also began providing FOCIS (Focus on Children in Separation) classes for families going through divorce, and did so until the end of 2010 when the Jackson County Courts began providing the class. Also in the 90s, Parents and Children Together, or PACT, began as a support group for families, and it is still provided for families each week.

 

Since 2000, CAPA has expanded its Healthy Family Connections program. This provides home-based case management and counseling services to high-need families with newborns, up until age three. Two years ago, CAPA began its affiliation with the AmeriCorps program, giving student interns a small living stipend to help cover the costs their education while working for CAPA. And, in June 2010, CAPA celebrated its 35th Anniversary of service to the communicty.

 

In 2011, CAPA was accredited by the Council on Accreditation, based in New York, by meeting its standards of excellence. In addition, CAPA added the Love & Logic parenting course to its impressive roster of services available, as well as updated its logo, print publications, and adopted the adage, “Healing Hearts and Homes.” 

 

CAPA’s focus continues to be on preventing and treating all forms of child abuse by utilizing a continuum of services: Prevention Education, Family Support Services, and Counseling, which are now all available in both English and Spanish.

 

The Child Abuse Prevention Association is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, relying on donations and foundation grants in order to provide essential services to our children and families.