Helping victims become children again.

Our primary concern is a child’s safety. 

We work together to ensure that children feel safe and comfortable. We strive to reduce trauma and promote healing for children and their families.

Emma’s House opened for service on September 6, 2006. That first year, we served 17 children. In 2017, 125 kids received services and care at our facility. While that may sound grim given the nature of our work, it speaks to the need and impact of our work in this community.  We have established trust and credibility with law enforcement agencies, the hospital emergency Department, and the Child and Family Services office/state hotline.  Now all reports of severe physical and sexual child abuse in Ravalli County are referred to Emma's House. 

Emma’s House is a nationally accredited CAC.

To understand what a Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) is, you must understand what children face without one. Without a CAC, the child may end up having to tell the worst story of his or her life over and over again, to doctors, cops, lawyers, therapists, investigators, judges, and others. They may have to talk about that traumatic experience in a police station where they think they might be in trouble, or may be asked the wrong questions by a well-meaning teacher or other adult that could hurt the case against the abuser.

When police or child protective services believe a child is being abused, the child is brought to the CAC—a safe, child-focused environment—by a caregiver or other “safe” adult. At the CAC, the child tells their story once to a trained interviewer who knows the right questions to ask in a way that does not not retraumatize the child. Then, a team that includes medical professionals, law enforcement, mental health, prosecution, child protective services, victim advocacy, and other professionals make decisions together about how to help the child based on the interview. CACs offer therapy and medical exams, plus courtroom preparation, victim advocacy, case management, and other services. This is called the multidisciplinary team (MDT) response and is a core part of the work of CACs.

Emma’s House is in a community partnership that works with a local Ravalli County multidisciplinary team of professionals.