Child Advocacy Center Honors NSC Interim President Dr. Rachel Solemsaas
Dawson Place, a child advocacy center in Snohomish County, presented Dr. Rachel Solemsaas, North Seattle College interim president, with its Secure the Future Award during its 11th Annual Luncheon Nov. 9 in Everett.
The honor was given to Dr. Solemsaas for her “guidance during our infancy” and her “continuous dedication and steadfast support helping Dawson Place provide help, hope and healing to abused children.”
Dawson Place is a nonprofit organization providing safety, justice and healing to victims of child physical and sexual abuse, assault and neglect. The center provides every service needed by child abuse victims and families free of charge. The child advocacy center model brings all the professionals needed by child abuse victims to one place. This facilitates access to free services, promotes interagency collaboration and minimizes the number of times a child must tell their story, which reduces the trauma of the victim’s experience.
“I am humbled by this recognition,” Dr. Solemsaas said. “I have been a strong believer in the mission of Dawson Place since I first learned about the organization. The reason it exists is because every child who is the victim of physical abuse, sexual assault, neglect, drug endangerment or who is a witness to a violent crime, deserves the cohesive and collective professional care that they need to be safe, to seek justice and to heal.
“That is Dawson Place’s stated purpose, and I support it 100 percent.”