Diane Burkhardt has been named the 2015 Ronald E. Mitchell Award winner.
Each year in conjunction with April’s Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Child Protection Team of Huntington County presents the award to an individual who was has had an impact in the lives of Huntington County’s children in the area of child abuse prevention and intervention.
Burkhardt was nominated by her peers for her outstanding dedication and steadfast advocacy for children. She has been instrumental in helping children process the trauma they have experienced, through play therapy. She is an active member of the child protection team, Teen Suicide Taskforce; McKenzie’s Hope MDT and serves on various other supportive and advisory groups in the community.
She has dedicated more than 18 years working with children and families, many who are dealing with abuse and neglect issues. She always looks for ways to get services to the children and families through networking and frequently looking outside of the box.
Burkhart is a full-time therapist at the Bowen Center in Huntington County. She and her husband have also served as a host home since 2009.