[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 81 (Monday, June 14, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1095-E1096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A TRIBUTE TO JANE BARKER (1949-2003)

                                 ______
                                 

                    HON. ROBERT E. (BUD) CRAMER, JR.

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 14, 2004

  Mr. CRAMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend 
and a remarkable woman, the late Jane Barker. In her short lifetime, 
she had a profound influence on the lives of countless children and 
families in New York City. At the time of her passing, Jane served as 
the Chief Program Officer at Safe Horizon, the leading nonprofit victim 
assistance, advocacy, and violence prevention organization in New York 
City.
  Jane was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She earned her 
Masters Degree in Social Work from Washington University and began her 
professional career as a school social worker in Peoria, Illinois. In 
1976, Jane moved to New York City where she worked at the Brooklyn 
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the New York City 
Department of Mental Health. In 1987, Jane began working at Safe 
Horizon. During her 16-year tenure there, she shaped the direction of 
numerous programs. Most recently, Jane led Safe Horizon's trauma 
response efforts after 9/11, with a particular focus on providing 
mental health support to those in need.
  Jane's legacy will be her pioneering work with the Children's 
Advocacy Centers in New York City. In 1985, I started the first 
Children's Advocacy Center in Alabama when I learned that child abuse 
victims were subjected to significant trauma from the systems that were 
supposed to be protecting and helping them. Jane shared this vision and 
courageously set out to change the system. With Jane's unwavering 
dedication and commitment, the Brooklyn Child Advocacy Center opened 
its doors in 1996, creating a child-friendly and supportive environment 
where children did not have to feel responsible for what happened to 
them. As a result of her vision and leadership, over 15,000 children 
have come through the Brooklyn Center.
  Mr. Speaker, in her lifetime, Jane had a profound influence on 
services for victims of crime and child abuse, their families, an 
communities. Members of her family, friends, and colleagues will gather 
to celebrate her life and her devotion to improving the lives of those 
around her. I want to commend Safe Horizon for dedicating the Brooklyn 
Child Advocacy Center in Jane's honor and loving memory.
  Mr. Speaker, Jane Barker was a tremendous individual who touched the 
lives of thousands of individuals and who was taken from us during the 
peak of her life. I rise today in her honor.

[[Page E1096]]



                          ____________________