Casa Albizu
Casa Albizu
Casa Albizu is a coordinated response program for probes of child and adolescent abuse, subsidized by the Administration for Families and Children (ADFAN) of the Puerto Rico Department of Family Services. Currently, the program has three service centers (San Juan, Ponce, and Camuy) that provide free evaluation services for child and adolescent sexual abuse allegations and psychotherapy to sexually abused children and adolescents and their families. Similarly, Casa Albizu is a training and clinical practice center for Clinical Psychology doctoral students at Albizu University. In addition, it offers training to professionals, talks, and workshops to the community on issues related to sexual abuse.
As part of its vision as a coordinated response center, the program has developed significant collaborative agreements with the judicial branch, the FBI, and ICE. It also collaborates with and has the advice of several Child Advocacy Centers in the United States. The program's professionals have specialized certifications in different components of forensic interviews, expert evaluation, forensic approaches to children with special needs, and various therapy models. Some of these certifications are unique in Puerto Rico.
The program began its work in 2001 as the Support Program for Victims of Sexual Abuse and their Families (PAF for its Spanish acronym), incorporating and gradually expanding services in the area of evaluation, forensic interview, psychotherapy, preparation of children to face legal proceedings, and coordination of integrated services.
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Casa Albizu Team
Management
Dra. Laura Rodríguez López
Directora Interina – Casa Albizu
Nancy L. Reyes Rivera, BSW
Coordinadora de Servicios
Carlos García Esquilín
Conductor
Marylena Resto Adorno
Asistente administrativa en Cupey
Yajaira Comas
Asistente administrativa en Camuy
Diana Pagán Oliveras
Asistente administrativa en Ponce
Mental Health
Dra. Michelle López Fernández
Facilitadora en Servicios de Salud Mental
Dra. María I. Álvarez Torres
Psicoterapeuta
Dra. Melanie Johanie Hernández Tollinchi
Psicoterapeuta
Dra. Zayra C. Ruiz Acosta
Psicoterapeuta
Dra. Jessica Morales Acevedo
Psicoterapeuta
Forensic
Annette Pietri Pola, MSW
Facilitadora en la modalidad forense
María Deniz Ortiz Díaz, MSW
Facilitadora en la modalidad forense
Lizbeth M. Alicea Ríos, MSW
Evaluadora y entrevistadora forense
María Magdalena Santana
Evaluadora y entrevistadora forense
Jesús Aníbal Irizarry Rivera, MSW
Evaluador y entrevistador forense
Enidza Samot Feliciano, MSW
Evaluadora y entrevistadora forense
Brunymar Santos Colón, MSW
Evaluadora y entrevistadora forense
Glorimar Vega, MSW
Evaluadora y entrevistadora forense