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Johnson receives national award for work preventing child abuse

Kathy Johnson was honored with the Outstanding Service Award from the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC).  It was presented June 25 in New Orleans at the organization’s 18th Colloquium, and recognizes a member who has made substantial contributions to APSAC through leadership and service to the Society.

Award recipients are leaders in the field of child abuse and neglect. Johnson has previously served as a board member, secretary and chair of the state chapter committee, and as president of the N.C. chapter. Currently, she is on the APSAC Task Force on Child Welfare Evidence-based Service Planning Guidelines.

“I am very honored to be receiving this national award and hope to continue my work in ensuring that professionals in the field, like child welfare workers, receive the information and training they need to support children and families affected by maltreatment and violence,” said Johnson.

In other news, Johnson was quoted in a recent News & Observer story, “Orphanage gives Haitian children a home and hope.” She heads the Yahve Jire Children’s Foundation task force, which includes individuals in five states and in Haiti.  She has written and been awarded grants totaling more than $100,000 for the orphanage to purchase farm tools to raise a garden for food, buy materials to build desks, purchase school supplies, and set up a cement block factory.

She is also on the board of directors of The Haiti Connection, which initiates coalitions and provides information and support for collaborative educational, medical and spiritual projects or information in Raleigh.

Johnson is a clinical assistant professor with the School of Social Work’s Family and Children’s Resource Program.