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Willow Tree Child Advocacy Center Services

Phone: (920) 436-8881

Fax: (920) 436-4413

503 S. Monroe Ave
Green Bay, WI 54301

  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Partners
  • Resources

A safe place to talk and begin to heal. At Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center, we give children who have been sexually or physically abused, neglected, or otherwise endangered a comfortable place to tell someone what happened and build a brighter future.

All parts of child abuse investigations are located within Willow Tree. Our specially trained staff work closely with law enforcement, Child Protective Services and other community professionals to evaluate and document each child’s case.

Services to the child and family may include:

  • Child Forensic Interview
  • Advocacy Services
  • Medical Evaluations
  • Therapy
  • Prevention Education

Children and families are assisted each step of the way. All services are individualized to meet the specific needs of the child and their family.

To reach a member of the Willow Tree team, call 920-436-4360 and the extension listed below. Willow Tree’s hours of operation are from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am – 4:00 pm on Friday.

Willow Tree Staff:

Megan Hackl, Child Forensic Interviewer ext. 3005
Jalyssa Vanboxel, Therapist ext. 3008
Daniela Santiago, Therapist ext. 3009
Jodi Stahl, Advocate ext. 3002
Kristie Sickel, Child Forensic Interviewer/Program Manager ext. 3006
Chelsey Steffens, Prevention Specialist ext. 3003
Kristin Kramer, Care Specialist ext. 3001

 

Children’s Wisconsin Medical Team:

Amanda Boehm, Medical Assistant ext. 3004
Jennifer Yates, Nurse Practitioner ext. 4380

 

Administration:

Holli Fisher, Director ext. 1393
Kristie Sickel, Program Manager ext. 3006

 

Multidisciplinary Team:

  • Ashwaubenon Public Safety
  • Brown County Corporation Counsel
  • Brown County District Attorney’s Office
  • Brown County Human Services
  • Brown County Sheriff’s Department
  • Children’s Wisconsin
  • De Pere Police Department
  • Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • Golden House
  • Green Bay Police Department
  • Hobart-Lawrence Police Department
  • Oneida Police Department
  • Pulaski Police Department
  • St. Vincent Hospital
  • SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners)
  • Wrightstown Police Department

As parents and community members, everyone plays a role in protecting children from all forms of abuse. The following resources can help you protect your child and lower the risks for child abuse.

Download our full list of resources here!

  • Protect Young Eyes
    • Resource hub for staying up to date on digital/social media trends, safer technology recommendations, & parental controls.
  • Defend Young Minds
    • Resource hub for best-selling books, curriculum, guides and newsletters to help children build pornography resistance and internet safety skills.
  • Amaze
    • Resource hub of videos to assist guardians, educators and health care providers around the globe—to communicate effectively and honestly about personal safety, healthy relationships, and sexual health based on their age.
  • Fight Child Abuse
    • Videos for children 4+ about what to do when confronted with abusive behavior such as safe and unsafe touches and other physical and emotional abuse.
  • Common Sense Media
    • Provides information, education, and reviews of books, movies, TV shows, games, podcasts, apps, or YouTube channels based on age and content.
  • Internet Matters
    • Helpful resources organized by age and topic, to empower families to discuss topics of pornography, sexual exploitation, sexting, self-harm, screen time, privacy, and online reputations.
  • The Mama Bear Effect
    • Resources to help families and organizations consider tangible proactive steps to reduce the risk/opportunity of sexual abuse happening between a child and someone they know.
  • Kid Smartz & Net Smartz
    • NCMEC offers a cyber tip line plus options (for youth and adults) to remove or reduce spread of nudes online. This leader in internet safety/trends also provides e-book downloads, interactive lessons, and videos to expand internet safety skills in children.

For more information or to discuss any of the topics addressed above, please call us at 920-436-4360.

Child Advocacy Center Services

Child Forensic Interviews

A child forensic interview is a developmentally sensitive and legally sound method of gathering information from a child about allegations of abuse, neglect, or exposure to drugs or violence. At Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center, our child forensic interviewers are specially trained to ask children non-leading, non-suggestive questions that are appropriate for the child’s age and development. This helps to minimize trauma by ensuring that the child is able to tell someone what happened in their own words, to one adult. Each child forensic interview is recorded and all agencies involved in the child’s case observe the interview from another room at Willow Tree. When the interview is finished, the recording will be used by law enforcement and the district attorney’s office as a part of the child abuse investigation.

Medical Evaluations

Children's Wisconsin logoWillow Tree is proud to partner with Children’s Wisconsin to provide on-site medical evaluations for children who have been abused or neglected. Our nurse practitioners from Children’s Wisconsin specialize in the medical evaluation of child maltreatment. They look for signs indicating sexual or physical abuse, neglect, or drug endangerment. These findings can later be used as evidence if the case is referred for charges or goes to court. A medical evaluation includes medical history, physical exam, and, when appropriate, documentation of any signs of abuse, collection of physical evidence, diagnostic testing, testing for other medical conditions that could be mistaken for maltreatment, treatment and referrals.

Advocacy

During each appointment at Willow Tree, children and their caregivers are able to meet with an advocate and members of the investigating team. Advocates help the child and family understand what is happening, while ensuring the child and family receive the resources and referrals they need to begin to heal. In addition to providing immediate support, advocates also maintain contact with families throughout an investigation. This may include providing updates on the status of the child’s case and accompanying the family to court.

Therapy

Jalyssa Vanboxel, MSW, APSW – Therapist In-Training

Outpatient Therapist and Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center Therapist

Degrees/Licenses:

  • Master’s Degree in Social Work from UW – Green Bay
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from UW – Green Bay
  • Master of Social Work (MSW)
  • Advanced Practice Social Worker (APSW)

Experience: Experience working with children, adolescents, and adults who are experiencing behavioral, emotional, and mental health issues. Has provided case management to children in child protective services. Experience helping families transition through reunification while guiding healthy development and resources for the family.

Specialties: Provides therapy for individuals (ages 7 to adult) on a variety of issues related to behavioral concerns, mental health disorders, self-esteem, abuse & trauma, domestic violence, sexual assault, and other stressful life events. Utilizes principles of Trauma informed care, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Strengths-Based Therapy, Mindfulness, and Person-Centered therapy to teach health communication skills, coping skills and anger management strategies. Jalyssa is also trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).

Prevention Education

Willow Tree is proud to provide Child Abuse Prevention Education in the local community. Willow Tree is part of the Green Bay Area Public School District’s core curriculum for grades Kindergarten—5th grade. The Child Abuse Prevention Specialist can also travel to other local surrounding schools or receive community partner referrals for individual prevention educational lessons. The programs and curriculum utilized aim to empower children with knowledge and skills that help protect them from various types of child abuse.

Skills taught to children include:

  • Spotting for red flag behavior or tricks
  • Recognizing various types of abuse
  • Practice using an assertive voice
  • Using a 3 part safety rule when they feel unsafe or when someone is causing harm
  • Identifying characteristics of safe adults they can get support from
  • Encouraging them to be an upstander by involving a safe adult when they hear or see safety problems happening
  • Learning refusal skills for internet-based red flags (inappropriate pictures/online tricks)

Other knowledge provided in curriculum includes:

  • Teaching the differences between good and bad secrets
  • Explaining safety rules with privacy and anybody’s private body parts
  • Differentiating 3 types of touches (safe, unsafe, confusing)
  • Providing visual examples of safety problems
  • Recognizing 3 reasons that safety problems are done on purpose (tricks, secrets, force)
  • Reducing shame for those receiving the intended harm

The Child Abuse Prevention Specialist is also available for consultation about age appropriate preventative lessons or resources with families, schools, businesses, community professionals, and other organizations upon request. For more information, please contact Chelsey Steffens at (920) 436-4360 ext. 3003 or [email protected].

“I’ve always been so mad that this happened to me.

I need to tell my mom now, so she understands.”

— Willow Tree client, age 12

“I am telling you everything and I feel happy.

I’ve never felt this kind of relief.”

— Willow Tree client, age 11

“Thank you for listening to my child and helping my family.”

— Mother of a Willow Tree client

“You make me feel safe, so I want to say thank you.”

— Willow Tree client, age 7

FAQs

Who does Willow Tree serve?

Any child who is a suspected victim of abuse or neglect can be served by Willow Tree Child Advocacy Center in collaboration with local law enforcement and/or Child Protective Services.

Willow Tree primarily serves children in Brown County, as well as surrounding communities and other parts of Wisconsin. Willow Tree has also been utilized in cases from as far away as Upper Michigan.

What are the ages of the children served by Willow Tree?

Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center sees children of all ages, many ethnic backgrounds, both girls and boys. The average age of a child  served at Willow Tree is 8 years old.

Do children live at the Child Advocacy Center?

No, children do not live at Willow Tree. They come to the Child Advocacy Center for forensic interviews, a medical exam or evaluation and/or counseling, but no one actually resides in the facility.

What is Willow Tree’s relationship with Child Protective Services?

Willow Tree has a collaborative relationship with Brown County Child Protective Services and many of our neighboring counties. While our staff are specially trained to provide the child forensic interview, medical evaluations, and counseling services, Child Protective Services works with the family to develop a safety plan and ensure that the family’s basic needs are being met.

How is Willow Tree Child Advocacy Center funded?

Willow Tree is funded primarily through private donations, with supplemental support from the state and county. We partner with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin for medical services which bills insurance, Medical Assistance, or the client. Therapy services bill insurance or Medical Assistance, with a sliding-scale fee available. The forensic interview, advocacy and prevention education services are provided to families free of charge.