Nationwide Children’s Hospital Board of Directors Chair Abigail Wexner announced today the merger of the Center for Child and Family Advocacy (CCFA) with the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence (CCAFV). The combined new organization is now called the Family Violence Coalition at Nationwide Children’s, bringing together the strengths of two well-established programs, both combating the impact of family violence.
“For nearly a decade, the Center for Child and Family Advocacy and the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence have shared a vision and commitment to ending the cycle of family violence in Central Ohio,” Mrs. Wexner said. “The new Family Violence Coalition will strengthen this commitment through enhanced leadership, maximized resources and an integrated approach toward providing assistance and comfort to families and children.”
The CCFA and CCAFV Boards undertook a robust merger planning process to develop this new coalition with the goal of developing an entity which can take the work of both organizations to the next level and create the ideal violence-free community. The new coalition will combine the strengths of both former organizations into an integrated team approach to breaking the cycle of family violence and child abuse by:
- strengthening the missions of CCFA and CCAFV
- integrating comprehensive services to break the cycle of domestic violence and child abuse, addressing the full age continuum
- breaking down barriers to anyone wanting access to treatment
- providing a new level of leadership to support interdisciplinary collaboration and the sharing of resources, ideas and funding among community providers
- a one-stop, coordinated approach for families, enhanced through the resources of partner organizations including CHOICES, the Columbus Police Special Victims Unit, Franklin County Children Services and the Office of the Franklin County Prosecutor
The merger will not have any effect on current services offered by CCFA and CCAFV and will be a seamless experience for families and agency partners.
Karen S. Days has been appointed president of the Family Violence Coalition at Nationwide Children’s. Days has served as president of the CCAFV since 1999 and for the past year as interim president of the CCFA. Prior to joining the CCAFV staff, she spent 10 years working in the criminal justice field with organizations including the Office of Criminal Justice Services of Ohio, the Columbus City Prosecutor’s Office, the Alliance for Cooperative Justice and United Way of Central Ohio. Days holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology/Criminal Justice from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Ohio Dominican University.
“Karen Days is an immensely talented and visionary leader, dedicated to improving the lives of the victims of family violence. Under her leadership, the new Family Violence Coalition will continue to serve as a national model of excellence in service and expertise,” added Mrs. Wexner.
“The success of both organizations to date and the creation of this new coalition is a credit to Abigail Wexner’s leadership and unwavering vision for a violence-free Central Ohio,” said Steve Allen, MD, Nationwide Children’s CEO. “Our commitment continues to be working toward a culture that does not tolerate child abuse and family violence.”
The CCFA was established in 2001 as a joint partnership between Nationwide Children's Hospital and the CCAFV. Additional partners continue to include CHOICES, the Columbus Police Special Victims Unit, Franklin County Children Services and the office of the Franklin County Prosecutor.
Recognizing the need to address and end the cycle of violence in our community, Abigail Wexner founded The CCAFV in 1998. Under her leadership, the Coalition has coalesced into an organization designed to foster change within local institutions.
The new coalition will continue to operate out of the current location for CCFA and CCAFV at 655 East Livingston Avenue, Columbus, Ohio.