The Child Protection Response Center in Davenport has a new home, new name, but the same mission of helping children and their families to get through tough times.
The center has been rebranded and is now known as the Melody of Hope Advocacy Center. In fact, Monday, Aug. 4, marked its first official day with the new name. In late July, it moved from its long-time home at 405 E. George Washington Boulevard to 2829 N. Brady St., which is near the East 29th Street intersection and a couple of blocks south of The Green Thumbers.
More than 75 guests and community leaders joined the nine-person Melody of Hope staff Monday at a grand opening to celebrate the center’s new name, location and its work. Those events included a blessing of the new office space by Deacon Robert Shaw of the Diocese of Davenport as well as tours of the new space and a Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The center’s expansion and move was funded, in part, with a $45,000 grant from the Regional Development Authority (RDA) during its Fall 2024 grant cycle.
Dr. Barbara Harre, medical director of Melody of Hope, thanked the center’s “amazing crew” for their hard work and dedication to helping children and families.
Melody of Hope provides a safe place for assessment, treatment and referral services for abused, maltreated and traumatized children and their families in the region. The center also provides forensic interviews and medical exams as well as mental and behavioral health assessments for children.
“This team works together to provide a coordinated response to child abuse to cause the least possible trauma to the victim and families,” according to the center’s website.
Dr. Harre said that Melody of Hope now has the space to help those children and their families. That space includes three exam rooms, observation rooms, a shower, a welcoming reception area and office space.
The top goal of the facility and its services is getting children to feel safe and comfortable, Dr. Harre added.
“We are excited to share this with the community. … We are here to help individuals in their journey,” she said, adding “We meet them in rough places in life.”
During Monday’s festivities, Program Manager Tony Holland provided these stats for the center’s work in helping kids and their parents during those “rough places in life:”
- Behavioral health stats, FY 2024: Follow-up exams – 2,907; new mental health exams – 225. Patient demographics include: 0-6 years old, 37%; 7-11, 42%; 12-17, 21%; Male, 62%, and female, 38%.
- Abuse/forensic interviews, FY 2024: Abuse exams – 79; forensic interviews – 261. Patient demographics include: 0-6 years, 38%; 7-11, 33%; 12-17, 29%; 18 and over, 1%. Female, 70%, and male, 30%.
- Funding for the center: 46% from Medicaid reimbursement; 33% from state grants; 20% from insurance reimbursement; and 1% from donations and local grants.
- National stats: One in four girls and one in 13 boys in the U.S. are estimated to experience child sex abuse. In 2022, more than 558,900 children were reported victims of abuse and neglect. Also, one in six young people ages 6 to 17 experience a mental health disorder, and half the cases begin by age 14. Untreated mental illnesses cost taxpayers $33 billion each year.
- Impact of child abuse: Left untreated, child abuse can lead to mental health problems, such as depression; behavior changes, substance use disorders; and physical health issues such as infections and injuries.
Mr. Holland added that the “biggest reason” for Melody of Hope’s move was the need for much more space. The center’s old home had about 2,800 square feet compared to the new Brady Street building’s 6,000 square feet. That added space is vital because it creates an environment that is better for the people it is trying to help.
The Melody of Hope program manager gave this example of how the extra space will help: In its old home, there were times when he had to conduct interviews in non-private administration areas in the building. The new, bigger office space makes it possible to do those interviews and other vital work in private.
The name change also is vital to the mission of the center, he said.
“When you hear ‘Child Protection Response Center,’ you think government,” Mr. Holland added.
The new name better reflects the center’s goal of giving children and families hope for the future.
“We are giving kids a path to hope,” he said.
