Client Services Director, Jessica Bell, was awarded the BEST of Project BEST Award at the 8^th Annual Project BEST Fest on March 15, 2019. This award is given for outstanding efforts and dedicated services in implementing and sustaining trauma-informed evidenced-based practices for children and their families in South Carolina. Project BEST is a state-wide collaborative effort to use innovative community-based dissemination, training, and implementation methods to dramatically increase the capacity of every community in South Carolina to deliver evidence-supported mental health treatments (ESTs) to every abused and traumatized child who needs them. 

Local Lion Cub Scout from Cub Scout Pack 921 in Greenwood, Peyton Wise (6), chose to collect toys, books, and games for abused children at Beyond Abuse for his Pick My Path Advancement service project.   Peyton created a sign to help promote his project and posted it on social media which caught the attention of the staff at Piedmont Technical College and the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office.  Over the past month PTC’s Human Services Club led by Brittany Aga and the Director of Victim Services at Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, Catie Maffett, collected items for the service project which also included clothes, stuffed animals, & cleaning supplies.

Elizabeth Wise

Elizabeth is the Victim Services Manager at Beyond Abuse and has been with the agency since November 2011.  She supervises the Client Services Administrator/Specialist and Volunteers while also providing 24/7 crisis support and advocacy to adult and child victims of sexual assault.  She received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology with Emphasis in Counseling form Lander University in December 2006.  She is passionate about her work because survivors need someone who will believe, support, and validate their experience.  In her free time, she enjoys reading, coloring, and spending time with her husband (Jason), son (Peyton), and two dogs (Kyro and Ryder).

Elaine Morton

Elaine is the Client Services Administrator at Beyond Abuse in our Greenwood office and has been with the agency since December 2014.  She provides intake and crisis support to survivors and their families, and is the face of the agency that greets clients, partnering agencies, and supporters as they come into the agency.  Prior to working here she was an on-call volunteer advocate and client services advocate with the agency, providing support services to victims of sexual assault and child abuse.  She is passionate about her work because she gets to witness the children we serve grow and move forward in their healing.  In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, dancing, and being outdoors.

Courtney Steward

Courtney is the Client Services Specialist at Beyond Abuse in our Laurens office and has been with the agency since May 2018.  She provides intake and crisis support to survivors and their families, and is the face of the agency that greets clients, partnering agencies, and supporters as they come into the agency.  Prior to being hired she was an on-call volunteer advocate with the agency, providing support services to victims of sexual assault and child abuse.  She received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology from Lander University in May 2018.  She is passionate about her work because she gets to help everyone the best way she can.  In her free time, she enjoys eating, traveling, reading, writing, and dancing.

Maria Roman

Maria is a Bilingual Family Advocate at Beyond Abuse and has been with the agency since January 2017.  She assists families as their children are referred in for services through our Children’s Advocacy Center.  She received her Associates of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Piedmont Technical College is 2014 and is currently working on her Nursing Degree at Piedmont Technical College.  She is passionate about her work because she loves helping others.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Deanna Kelly

Deanna is a Family Advocate at Beyond Abuse in our Laurens office and has been with the agency since November 2016.  She assists families as their children are referred in for services through our Children’s Advocacy Center.  She received her Associate in Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Augusta Technical College and her Bachelors Degree in Public Administration at Brenau University in Gainesville, GA.  She is passionate about her work because she loves working with children on a daily basis.  In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors.