Our Belief:

Children are our most precious resource.  It’s hard to imagine someone harming a child, but it’s more prevalent then you may think.  Child abuse is a community problem.  No single agency or individual has the knowledge, skills or resources to provide all the assistance needed by abused children and their families.   

Our Vision:

The vision of Gulf Coast Kid’s House is to provide a place where child protective services, law enforcement, prosecution, medical and mental health professionals’ work together under one roof to provide comprehensive services. 

Our Mission:

Facilitate the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse and neglect and promote child abuse prevention awareness through community education.  

Our Goals:

• Provide a child-friendly facility to serve abused children and their families in a neutral environment.
• Minimize trauma to child abuse victims by streamlining the intervention process.
• Develop formal, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary responses to child abuse, which will meet the needs of both child victims and their families.
• Educate the community of child abuse issues and enlisting support to help prevent child abuse.

Our History:

1997: Professionals recognized the need for a unified system, conducted workshops to discuss improvement in the child abuse intervention and prevention system.

1998: Established Non-Profit Corporation. 

1999: Community Board and Tax Exempt (501(c) 3) status established.

2000: Executive Director Patsy Hudson hired and office established. 

2001: Capital Campaign initiated. 

2002: Purchased future home of Gulf Coast Kid’s House at 3401 North 12^th Avenue, Pensacola.

2003: Renovated Building to accommodate agencies involved in prevention, investigation, and prosecution of child abuse. 

2004: Grand opening of Gulf Coast Kid’s House, Inc.  During 2004 GCKH provided approximately 2000 services to children who were victims of abuse.

2005: Founding Executive Director, Patsy Hudson, retires and the board hired Vickie Horton as the Executive Director.  During 2005 GCKH provided approximately 2500 services to children who were victims of abuse.

2006: Child Abuse Prevention Task Force implemented, with 16 community volunteers who were tasked with determining how to implement GCKH Child Abuse Prevention Program.  Four programs were adopted to provide community education on matters of child abuse; Safety NET (No Easy Target) Kids, a program endorsed by Code Amber, to teach children how to protect themselves; and Stewards of Children a program which teaches adults about child sexual abuse and places the responsibility of protecting children on the shoulders of adults. LSF Florida added a PT counselor to their team. Facilitators were trained in December and classes scheduled.  GCKH provided approximately 3200 services to children who were victims of abuse. 

2007: The first Prevention Education programs were taught in Escambia County.