Kentucky: Cabinet for Health and Family Services

The division was created to increase efficiency and accountability of state and community child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence services and to heighten public awareness of the effects of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

The division achieves its goals with the help of resources and tools including its statutory mandate to coordinate statewide victim services.

Responsibilities, programs and services of the division include:

Oversight of state general fund appropriations and contract for the Coalition of Rape Crisis Centers, Designated Child Sexual Abuse coordinators and the 15 regional Children’s Advocacy Centers;
Contract administration for the Coalition of Domestic Violence Shelters;
Training and certification of court-ordered domestic violence offender treatment providers;
Partnership with the state Department of Corrections to assist with sexual assault offender treatment;
In accordance with the federal Violence Against Women Act grant, the division has a staff attorney and provides assistance and training to both the domestic violence and rape crisis coalitions;
Work with the federal Centers for Disease Control on the Rape Prevention Education grant;
Facilitate the Statewide Strategic Planning Project for Violence Prevention;
Serve and represent agency constituencies on a variety of victim-based boards, commissions and committees;
Administer and staff the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and its committees; and
Provide domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse training to state agencies and community partners.

Sharon Hilborn, JD, Director
Phone: (502) 564-9433

Sharon Kay Hilborn of Frankfort was named director of the Division of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Services in August 2005. Hilborn most recently was employed by the division as an attorney specializing in violence against women. Previously she had been an assistant state attorney general for victim advocacy, consumer protection, Medicaid fraud and criminal appeals.

Hilborn has a bachelor’s degree in English from Ohio State University and a law degree from Wake Forest University.

Upon Hilborn's appointment, Commissioner of the Department of Human Support Services Marla Montell said Hilborn brings a wealth of knowledge and a compassionate approach to the position.

“Sharon has seen some of the worst examples of people’s inhumanity toward each other and she still passionately believes domestic violence and child abuse can become uncommonly rare occurrences,” Montell said.

“She is also dedicated to educating the public and persuading prosecutors, law enforcement officials, legislators and advocates to adopt the same belief and work toward that goal.”

David Gutierrez, LCSW, Domestic Violence Offender Treatment Specialist
Phone: (502) 564-9433

David Gutierrez has worked in forensic and mental health since 1995. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology and political science from the University of Kentucky and his masters degree in social work from UK in 1996.

Gutierrez began his career at the Fayette County Detention Center in 1995 working in crisis intervention and risk assessment. He also has worked for the forensic service unit of the Bluegrass Mental Health and Mental Retardation Board, providing domestic violence offender treatment, outpatient substance abuse treatment and services to clients on probation or parole. At the Fayette County Detention Center, he provided mental status evaluations for district court and general mental health services to inmates. He also briefly served as the executive direftor of the Shepherd's House, a long-term residential substance abuse treatment program for men.

Gutierrez most recently worked for the state Department for Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services as a program administrator in the sexual assault and domestic violence program from August 2001 to June 2004, just prior to coming to the Division of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Services.

In addition to his career interests in the field of sexual and domestic violence, Gutierrez is interested in health care reform, specifically making health care more affordable and accessible.

Jeanne Keen
Phone: (502) 564-9433

Jeanne Keen has worked in the mental health field since l978. She has an associate degree in nusing from Midway College and a master's degree in community health education from Eastern Kentucky University.

Keen holds certifications as a mental health and psychiatric nurse, certified domestic violence offender treatment provider and certified alcohol and drug counselor.

Retired from the Bluegrass East Mental Health/Mental Retardation Board where she worked in the field of chemical dependency, Keen previously served as program director for the board's Detox and Referral Center, Narcotic Addiction Program and Charles I. Schwartz Treatment Center.

She was instrumental in designing and served as the first director for the perinatal recovery, infant development, recovery and education program (PRIDE). Keen also served on the Governors’ Task Force on Perinatal Substance Abuse and co-chaired Kentucky’s Initiative for Women and Substance Abuse. Keen is a member of the Kentucky Certification Board for Alcohol and Drug Counselors and a delegate to the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium.

She has been a faculty member of the Kentucky School of Alcohol and Drug Studies for 15 years.

Natalie Kelly, LCSW, Adult Victims Specialist
Phone: (502) 564-9433

Natalie Kelly has worked in children's mental health since 1998. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Hanover College in 1996 and her master's degree in social work from Indiana University in 1998.

Kelly began her career in Kentucky at Seven Counties Services as an in-home family therapist. She also worked for Bluegrass Regional Mental Health and Mental Retardation Board and the Bingham Child Guidance Center in Louisville. Kelly's direct practice experience was with children and families where she provided both acute and long-term mental health services.

Prior to coming to the Division of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Services, Kelly most recently worked at the Department for Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services as a program administrator in the sexual assault and domestic violence program from May 2001 to June 2004.

In 2004, Kelly was appointed to the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board. Along with other community partners from the child sexual abuse prevention field, Kelly was responsible for creation of the training series for Kentucky's teachers called "Promise Not to Tell? A Teacher's Guide to Recognizing and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse."

Gretchen Hunt, JD, Staff Attorney
Phone: (502) 564-9433

Gretchen Hunt is a staff attorney with the division under the federal Violence Against Women Act grant.

Prior to her work for the division, Hunt spent five years representing immigrant women and children who were victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.

She continues to provide training and consultation on these issues as well as the rights of domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in general.

Hunt received her bachelor's degree and law degree from Boston College.

Phyllis Millspaugh, Program Administrator
Phone: (502) 564-9433

Millspaugh received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Western Kentucky University. She is licensed as psychological associate in Kentucky and has devoted her career since 1989 to providing therapy to adult and child sexual assault victims.

Most recently, Millspaugh was the program monitor for the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs where she was responsible for ensuring center compliance with laws and regulations.

Previously, Millspaugh served 11 years as executive director Hope Harbor, a rape crisis center serving the 10-county Barren River region. While at Hope Harbor, she provided administrative guidance for the center’s crisis counseling, therapy, advocacy, prevention and education services.

Dina Bartlett, Staff Attorney
Phone: (502) 564-9433

Dina Bartlett is a staff attorney for the division under the federal Violence Against Women Act grant.

Previously, an an attorney in private practice, Bartlett focused primarily on representing victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

She served more than eight years as an assistant attorney general in the Criminal Appellate Division of the Office of the Attorney General, concentrating much of her work in the field of child sexual abuse.

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