Childhelp Colorado River Bridge Center

Where Children Come First

The Childhelp River Bridge Center, opened its doors in December 2007 to provide hope and healing to neglected and abused children through advocacy, treatment, and investigation services. The cottage-style center with walls painted in bright colors and a playroom full of toys are designed to enhance each child’s sense of safety and well-being.

Every service provided at this center is critical as recent research found that there were more than 10,500 substantiated cases of child abuse in Colorado in 2007. In order to treat child abuse and combat abusers effectively, medical personnel, law enforcement, child protection investigators, and mental health professionals all work together. This “onestop” approach generates a more efficient, comprehensive, and ultimately more effective method of service delivery where the needs of the child always comes first.

The Journey Towards Recovery…

A specially trained victim advocate serves as each child’s personal friend and playmate at their most vulnerable time while keeping them fully informed about the process ahead.

A forensic interviewer interacts with each child asking age appropriate, non-leading questions allowing abused children to share their story; the information gathered from the forensic interview capable of withstanding court scrutiny and aiding in the prosecution of abusers. Before children’s advocacy centers, child victims were forced to relive their abuse, telling their story to one official after another. As part of this process, children also receive a specialized medical exam to gather evidence of physical and/or sexual assault.

The Childhelp River Bridge Center provides individual and family counseling/therapy for the abused children and their non-offending family members to recover and cope with their painful experiences. Being placed with a new family or going to court to face their perpetrator is a daunting task for anyone, let alone a child. As a result, the Childhelp River Bridge Center actively participates in the safe placement of abused children and provides court preparation assistance for the child and their family.

A Community of Caring

As evidence of the significant need of a program like this, local citizens of Garfield County recognized the horrifying problem of abuse and banded together to fight it. Their solution was the River Bridge Center and Childhelp was chosen by the community and the Garfield County Commissioners to provide treatment and investigation to the far too many Colorado victims of abuse and neglect. In addition, Childhelp River Bridge has partnered with a number of State agencies and local organizations.

Enrichment Programs

• Community Trainings for the Treatment of Child Abuse
• Family Advocacy and Referrals
• Public Awareness and Advocacy

Program Distinctives

• The Childhelp River Bridge Center is the only center of its kind in Garfield County, as well as neighboring Pitkin, Eagle, and Rio Blanco counties.
• It is a “one-stop” advocacy center, providing forensic investigations and forensic medical examinations, mental health treatment and disposition of abused and neglected children.
• Childhelp’s River Bridge Center is located in Glenwood Springs, CO. The center was paid for by the Garfield County Commissioner’s Office and is leased to Childhelp at a minimal fee per year.
• Garfield County is served by the 9th Judicial District, located on the western slope of Colorado. This area has seen a dramatic rise in population with a diverse set of needs in the recent past.

Program Goals

• Expand the outreach efforts into the surrounding counties, like Eagle County, where similar services are currently unavailable.
• Develop relationships with other child advocacy centers in Colorado through participation in the Colorado Children’s Alliance and preliminary engagement with the National Children’s Alliance through NCA’s Western Regional Office. Provide training opportunities to local partner and community agencies.
• Community outreach to the general community including residents, community agencies and potential funders.
• Expanding mandated reporter trainings.