Our division provides crisis and mental health support via telephone to families of missing and/or sexually exploited children each day. Our families often require immediate, in-person intervention, so we also coordinate a referral network that provides sliding fee or pro bono services called the Family Advocacy Outreach Network. FAON professionals provide ongoing crisis management and therapy to strengthen families as they work through their traumatic experiences. For more information about FAON, please visit: http://www.missingkids.com/faon. Our division also oversees Team HOPE, trained volunteers who provide peer and emotional support to families with missing, recovered and exploited children.

In doing the work we do each day, we often interact with all kinds of licensed mental health professionals. Anticipating needs is difficult; each family must be viewed as presenting with unique sets of circumstances and only an approach tailored to the needs of the individual family will achieve the positive outcome we hope for all our families. To achieve this, we are always looking to strengthen our relationships in the field and at trainings where professionals meet.

Julie Patrick
Senior Special Projects Coordinator
Family Advocacy Division
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
703-778-6469
Jpatrick@ncmec.org