Laurie Knight, B.A.

Laurie Knight has specialized in the assessment and treatment of sexual abuse since 1982 when she helped establish the first comprehensive sexual abuse program in Adams County at the Adams County Department of Social Services (ACDSS). She became a supervisor within the program in 1997 and retired from the Department in 2003 to go into private practice and spend more time with her family.

Over the past 26 years, Ms. Knight has provided a wide range of assessment and therapeutic services for sexual abuse victims, offenders, non-offending parents, siblings and families. She obtained specialized training and experience working with families where substance abuse, domestic violence, physical abuse and neglect, trauma and attachment disorders put children at risk for out of home placement.   She is a contributing author of the book, The Web of Meaning, A Developmental – Contextual Approach in Sexual Abuse Treatment, Gail Ryan and Associates, Safer Society Press, 1999.

Ms. Knight has participated in various community boards including but not limited to the Adams County District Attorney’s Adult Diversion Board (1980-1982), The 17th Judicial District’s Domestic Violence Treatment Certification Board (1989- 93/Chair 1991-93), and the 17th Judicial District’s Family Violence Coordinating Council (Coordinator 7/03-1/05, member 1/05-2006). Since 1989, Ms. Knight has participated in the monthly multidisciplinary Kempe Children’s Center Study Group on the Development of Offending and Long Term Dysfunction in Sexual Abuse Victims. She has attended and participated in monthly meetings of the Sexual Offender Management Board (SOMB) since 1999.

In 2000, Ms. Knight received the Thomas Green Award for outstanding and caring services to victims of crime in Adams County. That year she also received the Employee of the Month award for her work at Adams County Department of Social Services.

After retiring from ACDSS, Ms. Knight joined Stephen Brake Associates. As an associate, she provides sex-offense-specific evaluations and parental risk assessments for adult sexual offenders and psychosexual evaluations and treatment for juvenile offenders. Additionally, Ms. Knight is the Program Coordinator for Family Services at the Sexual Offense Resource Services (SORS) program. At SORS, she also provides individual, group and family treatment as well as case management services for adult sexual offenders.

Since 2003, Ms. Knight has conducted Child and Family Investigations for domestic relations cases in the 17th Judicial District and has provided individual treatment for sexual abuse and trauma victims.  She provides consultation and training regarding various dynamics of sexual abuse including perpetration, victimization, family systems issues and managing difficult cases.

Ms. Knight is an expert witness in the areas of child protection and sexual abuse, including the assessment, treatment and management of sexual offenders. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, from Miami of Ohio in 1978.  Her focus of study was in criminology and social work. She is listed with the SOMB as both an evaluator and treatment provider for adult and juvenile sexual offenders.

To view Ms. Knight’s complete vita, click here (Adobe Acrobat required)