The Bridge Timeline
Long before the first interview was conducted in 1990, The Panhandle Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention identified that an entity such as a child advocacy center was needed in the community. The Coalition, formed in 1984 by agencies serving children in the Texas Panhandle, recognized that the system in place to address child abuse was, in many cases, re-victimizing the very children it was intended to help. Children were being bounced from professional to professional to tell and retell their story thus evoking stress, in some cases the children were interrogated instead of questioned.
Court cases were often lost due to a lack of comprehensive case management practices. Under the guidance of The Bridge, law enforcement agencies, Child Protective Services, medical professionals and the judicial system came together in a memorandum of understanding, establishing the first Case Review Team in the state of Texas. Established in 1989, The Bridge was the first children’s advocacy center in Texas and to date serves more counties than any other center in the country.
Following are some highlights of a reputable history:
• Established in 1989, The Bridge was the first children’s advocacy center in Texas, and continues to serve as the only children’s advocacy center in the Texas Panhandle.
• The Bridge received the Governor’s Award for “Best New Criminal Justice Program of the Year” in 1990.
• One year later it was named one of twelve exemplary criminal justice programs by the Governor and the Criminal Justice Division of the State of Texas.
•The Bridge helped establish the Texas Panhandle Child Fatality Review Team in 1993; facilitated team activities for eleven years and continues to be an active member of the team.
• The Bridge was named a United Way Partner Agency in 1994.
• In 1994, The Bridge helped establish, coordinate and house CASA of Amarillo.
• The Bridge became a full charter member of the Children’s Advocacy CentersTM of Texas in 1995.
•In 1996, a rural program was established utilizing mobile equipment to better serve the outlying counties.
• A $1,500,000 Capitol Campaign was undertaken to raise funds for a new facility in 2000.
• The new facility was built in 2001 allowing the agency to expand services.
• The Brown Children’s Alliance opened in Pampa in November of 2006.
• The Bridge became a program provider for the Pampa United Way and United Way of Hutchinson County in 2008.
