A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held for a new trauma-informed space at the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office.
The room was created through a partnership with Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land and is designed to support victims of trauma.
Housed within the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office Special Victims Unit, the Lily Pad “soft room” is a quiet space that offers comfort and support during times of crisis.
Founded in 2022, Lily Pad has created more than 42 trauma-informed spaces across South Carolina and is now expanding into law enforcement agencies.
The ceremony will take place Tuesday, May 12th at 10 a.m. at the SCSO Special Victims Unit on Howard Street.
For more information, visit Lilypadinc.org
Official Press Release below:
First-of-its-kind space supports victims of crime, children in crisis, and advocates in Spartanburg County
A ribbon-cutting ceremony with Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land will celebrate the opening of a new trauma-informed space in partnership with the Spartanburg Special Victims Unit, marking Lily Pad’s expansion into law enforcement partnerships in South Carolina. This new space represents Lily Pad’s first “soft room,” a trauma-informed environment within a law enforcement setting, extending the organization’s model beyond child welfare offices into environments where individuals first encounter crisis response systems.
Developed in partnership with the Spartanburg Special Victims Unit and Sergeant Sarah Arms, the space will serve multiple purposes, including providing a calm, trauma-informed space for interviewing victims, offering a private space for victims’ advocates to meet with individuals, and temporarily supporting children awaiting Department of Social Services (DSS) pickup.
Lily Pad founders Benjamin and Jennifer Tice will be joined by Sergeant Sarah Arms, Ashlyn, members of the Spartanburg Special Victims Unit, community partners, and supporters who helped bring the space to life. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to ensuring individuals experiencing trauma are met with dignity, safety, and care at the first point of contact. Additionally, Ashlyn will offer remarks at the event, sharing her perspective on the importance of trauma-informed environments for children and individuals navigating crisis.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 12 at 10 a.m. WHERE: Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit 8045 Howard Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303 WHY: For victims of crime and children in crisis, the first point of contact is often within law enforcement or public service settings, which are not traditionally designed for comfort or emotional support during trauma. No one should experience their worst day in an environment that feels cold, impersonal, or forgotten. A quiet space, a place to rest, and supportive resources are not small details, they are signals of care in moments of crisis. Lily Pad’s expansion into law enforcement partnerships reflects the belief that environment matters at the first point of contact during trauma.
By creating trauma-informed spaces within these settings, Lily Pad helps ensure individuals are met with dignity, safety, and care in moments of fear and uncertainty, while building a replicable model that can expand across public systems nationwide.
Lily Pad Expands to Law Enforcement
Lily Pad Expands to Law Enforcement
