Meighan Melancon

As Hope House’s Family Advocate, Meighan provides advocacy services to child victims and their families when sexual abuse and/or serious physical abuse has been alleged. Meighan advocates for immediate service implementation, ensures that the family and child are educated about the assists with case management and data entry, helps to implement abuse prevention education programs, works on specific advocacy related to children’s forensic medical exams, and identifies any barriers that may prevent the family from receiving services.

One of her favorite parts about her job is getting to walk alongside a family as they heal and gain back a sense of control. It encourages Meighan to see families grow closer and stronger while overcoming a hardship together. One of the first things she does with a child when they come to the Hope House is take them to the "Bowl of Bravery." It is here where the child is encouraged to choose their very own button to put into the bowl. This is an opportunity to honor the child’s bravery and remind them that they are not alone. It's always a special moment to witness a child take their time picking the perfect button that represents their bravery.

When asked what she wishes more people knew about child abuse, she responded:
"I wish more people knew about the generational impact that child abuse can have on a family. It's common to work with a family where the caregiver shares that they have also experienced sexual or physical abuse when they were young, but never told anyone. This untreated trauma usually has a negative impact on the individual’s overall wellbeing, relationships with others and decision making skills. It is very important to treat the trauma as soon as possible in hopes of helping the individual fully heal."

Meighan received her B.S. in Human Services Delivery and Administration from the University of North Georgia. Prior to working with Hope House, she worked as an adoption case manager with DFCS in Georgia. She also worked with foster families and children as a foster care case manager for a Child Placement Agency.

Meighan moved to Covington from Flowery Branch, Georgia. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with loved ones, and getting to know the people and culture of the Northshore area by visiting the farmer’s markets on the weekends, taking jogs on the Tammany Trace, trying out new Cajun recipes and learning how to garden and raise chickens.