Mission/Purpose

Every day, children in our area are witnesses to or victims of acts of violence - including murder, armed assaults, and domestic violence - and need professional assistance to help them cope with the resulting trauma. Every day, children in our area need professional therapy to help them resolve the psychological and emotional problems that adversely affect their academic performance, social development, and overall happiness. Every day, parents and child care providers in our area need high-quality training and support programs to help them give the young children in their care the best possible start in life.

ChildSavers exists to help meet these needs. Founded in 1924 as the Children's Memorial Clinic, ChildSavers' mission is to provide comprehensive mental health and childhood development services that holistically embrace the needs of children and those who care for and educate them. We offer a broad range of services to clients throughout Central Virginia, and we never turn anyone away for inability to pay.

Services

• Trauma Response - Responding to children's needs in the immediate aftermath of traumatic events can help prevent, or decrease the severity of, future mental health and behavioral problems. Trauma Response is the program through which we provide immediate therapeutic response to children at the scenes of violent crimes and other traumatic events. Our trained clinicians are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and usually arrive to work with the child or children in need within 15 to 30 minutes after receiving the call. Trauma Response also offers short term counseling to support the family in handling the trauma.
• Guidance Clinic - The Guidance Clinic provides professional mental health treatment for children for as long as it is needed. Highly qualified clinicians address not just the problems of trauma, but a variety of psychiatric, psychological and social problems that so often interfere with a child's personal growth. The Guidance Clinic provides outpatient mental health services, with access to a board-certified child psychiatrist and Master's-level clinicians. We assist children referred through the judicial system, the medical profession, the Department of Social Services, school counselors or parents and guardians.
• Child Development Services - The first few years of a child's life are critical to his or her development and future success. Our highly qualified early childhood specialists provide a broad range of support services - including professional development training and credentialing, nutrition education, and a child care referral service - to the adults who care for and educate preschool children.

Fees

A graduated fee scale is designed to meet individual clients' financial resources. Payments from Medicaid and private insurance carriers. are accepted. Children in need are not denied services for financial reasons.