Witham Health Services opens first Center of Hope in Boone County
July 14, 2025
On Thursday, July 10, Witham Health Services hosted a ribbon cutting event to celebrate the grand opening of the first Center of Hope for Boone County. The center, located inside Witham’s Emergency Room in Whitestown at Anson, will care for adult victims who have experienced sexual or physical abuse.
The Witham Center of Hope is a place of compassion, care, and safety for victims of abuse and violence
The event was attended by more than 80 leaders and advocates from across Boone County including Kate Barr, Whitestown Town Manager, John Stehr, Zionsville Mayor, Becky Cash and Mark Genda, Indiana State Representatives, members of the Lebanon City Council, Zionsville and Boone County Chambers of Commerce, Witham Board of Trustees and Witham Foundation Board of Directors.
Attendees toured the Witham Center of Hope, participated in a ribbon cutting and heard remarks from Cari Ann Guenther, Witham Health Services Foundation Manager, Kelly Braverman, Witham President and CEO, Morganne Carpenter, Boone County Sherrif’s Office Detective, Rebecca Bradley, Witham Emergency Department Director, and Eilene Potenza, a survivor of a violent home invasion.
“For more than 110 years Witham has been Boone County’s independent health system, making us particularly aware of our community’s healthcare needs. Today it’s incredibly meaningful to stand here with so many community leaders, law enforcement partners, advocates, survivors, and generous supporters as we open the doors to a space that will meet a significant need,” said Braverman in her remarks at the event. “Far too many people in our community experience violence. Access to timely, trauma-informed care can be the difference between suffering in silence and starting a journey of healing. This access is what the Witham Center of Hope will provide — a response that is immediate, compassionate, and coordinated.”
In the Center of Hope’s safe and confidential space victims will have access to:
- Report abuse and receive top-notch medical care.
- Forensic exams performed by specially trained nurses who are sensitive to the unique needs of a sexual assault victim, are trained in forensic evidence collection and injury identification/documentation.
- Crisis intervention services.
- Follow-up medical care.
- Connections to community–based resources, such as mental health services, domestic violence resources, and counseling.
“I have seen what happens when someone comes through our doors after experiencing sexual or physical assault. It’s one of the most vulnerable moments a person can face – and what they need in that moment is a clear path to care, to safety, and to healing. That is exactly what our Center of Hope is designed to provide,” Bradley told the crowd. “The Center of Hope brings together critical services, ensuring that every survivor – whether they arrive with law enforcement, through EMS, or on their own – receives immediate, expert, trauma-informed care.”
The Witham Center of Hope is staffed by specially trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs). These nurses are experts not just in evidence collection and injury documentation — but in human compassion. They understand the complex physical and emotional needs of survivors, and they meet them where they are, without judgment.
Potenza shared that the SANE nurses that helped her and her daughter after their experience with violence and sexual assault were like angels to them. “They cared. They talked to us. They made us feel safe and comfortable,” she said. “The Center of Hope was the place we needed when our world felt like it had turned upside down. It would be wonderful if we never needed another Center of Hope, but we do.”
The Witham Center of Hope was created in Boone County through the generosity of the Witham Health Services Foundation and donors. Continuing contributions will help to fund marketing initiatives to ensure victims in Boone County and the surrounding area know where to turn for help nearby.
“Our work doesn’t end here,” said Guenther. “In fact, it’s just the beginning. We ask each of you – our community partners, first responders, and supporters – to help us spread the word. Let others know that the Center of Hope is here, and that no one has to walk through trauma alone. Together, we can ensure that every survivor knows where to turn – and that when they do, they’ll be met with care, compassion, and strength."