The Green Bear Project

The Green Bear Project was created in memory of Baby Ty, a two year old toddler who was tragically killed only three months after returning to his biological family from foster care. Baby Ty’s favorite toy while he was in foster care was a little stuffed green bear he affectionately called “Green Bear.” Just as Green Bear gave baby Ty comfort when he was scared or frightened, we want to comfort and care for children through our organization.

The Green Bear Project has many programs available for concerned adults, professionals, and children pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Funding for these programs is provided by SEMO-NASV, private donations, and grants. We provide child abuse prevention education programs to the following counties: Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Scott, and Stoddard. All programs are available for FREE.

Programs include:

Download a copy of our promotional brochure HERE.

Learn more about all our programs from our recent Lunch & Learn event:

Community Programs

Mandated Reporter Training

According to Missouri’s School Board Association, each school in Missouri is now responsible to arrange for training and information necessary to assist staff members in identifying possible instances of child abuse and neglect. Each school is also responsible for implementing a planned program of personal safety and awareness education, including methods for preventing sexual abuse, that shall be provided to teachers, students and caregivers (Missouri Statutes- RSMo 160.261, 210 110.165).

Objectives: After completing this two hour course, mandated reporters will be able to:

  • Discuss ways to prevent child abuse in schools, churches and civic organizations.
  • Define child abuse and recognize the importance of Missouri’s mandated reporting laws.
  • Identify signs and symptoms of child abuse.
  • Discover the importance of the Multidisciplinary Team Approach when dealing with suspected child abuse.
  • Perform a preliminary interview when child abuse is suspected.
  • Report and document suspected child abuse in Missouri to Missouri’s Child Abuse Hotline.

Target Audience: All mandated reporters in Missouri, which includes:

  • All school personnel
  • Police officers including juvenile officers
  • Counselors/social workers
  • Clergy and their agents (Sunday school teachers, church leaders and deacons/elders)
  • Medical personnel
  • Foster parents
  • Daycare providers
  • Anyone in Missouri who works with or around children

Raising Healthy Children in Your Community

This one hour program discusses how a community can work together to protect children from abuse, online dangers, and more. This class can be taught as a community coalition project, or for a specific school, organization, faith-based entity, or even a local neighborhood. Our class will first focus on adults as individuals learning how to protect their children from abuse. As the class progresses, we will learn how we, as a community, can work together to protect children from abuse.

Class Content

  • Child sexual abuse – definition, signs and symptoms, perpetrators
  • Online safety – Child sexual abuse materials, protecting children on line, characteristics of online perpetrators, online resources
  • Providing a safe home environment for children and raising self esteem
  • Preventing abuse by age/developmental level, protecting children with disabilities
  • Working together to prevent child abuse in your community.

Download a copy of the Raising Healthy Children Booklet HERE.

To schedule a class, contact SEMO-NASV at (573) 332-1900 or lstone@semonasv.org.

2025-2026 Research Study

This FREE program is designed to help businesses:

  • Strengthen workplace safety
  • Improve internal policies
  • Ensure employees understand their rights, responsibilities, reporting procedures, and available resources
  • Maintain in a workplace culture that protects employees, supports accountability, and promotes a safe and respectful environment for everyone.

Ongoing Support

In addition to training, The Green Bear Project is available to provide ongoing support in reviewing and strengthening workplace policies, reporting procedures, and organizational best practices related to employee safety, sexual harassment prevention, child protection, and workplace response protocols.

JOIN PKCC

 

Protecting

Kids

Community

Coalition

Together we can transform awareness into action and action into lasting protection for every child.

Learn About SEMO-NASV