THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 23, 1994 TAG: 9408230401
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Judith Abbott, a well-known therapist who helped build an advocacy group for abused children two years ago, will leave the organization next month.
``Judy feels that she needs to take some time for herself,'' said Cynthia Grafton, new executive director of Kids First Inc. ``She's given so much to this agency. ... It is a great loss.''
Abbott and two others formed what was then called the Northeastern Children's Co-op during the height of the Little Rascals sex abuse trials in Edenton. Abbott examined several of the children involved in those cases.
Agency organizers hoped to coordinate children's services through a clearinghouse that provided therapy, medical examinations and court training for abuse victims and their families.
Since July 1992, Kids First has served some 400 children, and Abbott as clinical director has worked with nearly all of them, Grafton said.
Abbott donned a second hat last fall, working for several months as acting director of the agency before Grafton took over in February.
``That was a neat trick,'' Grafton said. ``She held this agency together.''
Joseph Bunch, an Elizabeth City resident who has worked with Girls Inc., the Boys and Girls Club and the local public schools, will take over as clinical director in September.
Bunch, who has been commuting for the last four years to his job as a school psychologist in Virginia Beach, said he is glad to be returning to work close to home, as well as shifting his focus.
``I've been looking recently to make the change to more clinical work,'' Bunch said. He who holds a master's degree in school psychology and clinical counseling from Wake Forest University.
``Certainly I think there is an opportunity for the agency itself to provide a service to the community,'' Bunch said. ``The biggest challenge I think is being as available and as helpful as possible when people are in times of crisis.''
``Crisis'' cases will probably be all that Bunch has time to handle, Grafton said. Kids First lost its part-time therapist through belt-tightening after an anticipated state grant fell through, and Grafton said long-term therapy will be limited to cases that law enforcement or social services agencies are investigating.
The group has been scrambling for the last few months to raise operating funds with the help of local churches and businesses.
Another task of Bunch's will be to help Grafton revive an interagency team that tries to work through abuse cases in the best possible way. The team, a major function of Kids First, has faltered in its early years because of cooperation problems among the agencies.
Bunch ``is a bridge-builder,'' Grafton said. ``He's going to really help establish some of those connections that need some work.
``We're real fortunate to have found somebody this good and this fast.'' by CNB