Our Rebrand
Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center Rebrands as the Kay Phillips Child Advocacy Center
In coordination with the opening of our new Berkeley Center, we recently rebranded the center name and logo. The new location would have added a second dba and a third name for the organization, which makes it confusing and hard to navigate.
Therefore, as of September 26, 2024, we have officially gone from Children in Crisis, doing business as Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center and Berkeley Children’s Advocacy Center to a single name to honor the woman whose 20 years of service shaped this Center into what it is today. We are elated to announce that we will now be known as the Kay Phillips Child Advocacy Center!
Dr. Phillips started as the sole employee in 2004, and under her leadership, the Center has expanded into a team of 31 full-time employees across two locations. As a leader in the child welfare community, Dr. Phillips has brought about substantial changes in her 20-year tenure at Children in Crisis, which provides treatment at no cost for child abuse victims and their families in Dorchester and Berkeley counties, and where she has orchestrated growth of the organization, which has served over 20,000 clients since opening its doors.
In addition to her role at KPCAC, Dr. Phillips is involved in various boards and committees related to child welfare, advocating for policy changes to better support vulnerable populations. In 2016, she was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley to the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children (JCLCC), which is a consortium of appointed citizens, legislators, and agency directors committed to addressing key issues impacting South Carolina’s children. The committee identifies, researches, and advocates for effective strategies to shape children’s policy in the state. Her proactive efforts also contributed to South Carolina adopting the Child Abuse Response Protocol Act in May 2021, which provides guidelines for all agencies involved in cases of suspected child abuse.
Dr. Phillips’s contributions have been recognized through numerous awards, including the Horowitz-Barker Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Children’s Alliance in 2022. Most recently, in August 2023, she received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, acknowledging her significant impact on our state and beyond.
The Center rebranding was championed by members of both the Children in Crisis Board of Directors and Center Staff, and was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors at its March 2024 meeting.
For a complete list of Dr. Phillips and the Center’s accomplishments and history, please click here.