The Housing and Community Development Department requests Council approve a contract providing up to $61,500.00 in CDBG funds for the purchase and installation of playground equipment at The Children’s Assessment Center Foundation, 2500 Bolsover. The center serves child victims of sexual abuse in Houston and Harris County, and the playground will be used to help address the physical, intellectual, social and emotional development needs of these children.
This project will include the playground equipment, rubber safety surfacing, shaded tables and benches, play-area shading, trash receptacle and minor landscaping. The project is an addition to a larger expansion which was completed in August 2017. The Children’s Assessment Center has found that use of playground equipment helps to foster trust and relationship building between abused children and their caregivers as well as with their peers.
The Children’s Assessment Center is one of the largest advocacy centers of its kind in the nation, and it is the only advocacy center for sexually abused children in Harris County. Last year it provided services to nearly 4,000 children in the community. These services included over 11,000 hours of individual, group and family therapy sessions.
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Tom McCasland, Director