Lily Pad Expands Trauma-Informed Spaces Into Law Enforcement Through Partnership With Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office

For children and victims experiencing trauma, the environment around them matters.

A quiet space. A soft chair. Warm lighting. A place that feels safe instead of intimidating.

For years, Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land has worked alongside Department of Social Services offices across South Carolina to create trauma-informed spaces for children experiencing foster care. Now, that mission is expanding into law enforcement.

Lily Pad’s First Law Enforcement Partnership

In May 2026, Lily Pad opened its first law enforcement based Lily Pad space in partnership with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

The new space marks Lily Pad’s first “soft room” inside a law enforcement setting, extending the organization’s mission beyond child welfare offices and into environments where individuals often first encounter crisis response systems.

“This space is about ensuring that after a crisis, children and adults are met with dignity, safety, and care as they interact with law enforcement officers,” said Jennifer Tice, co-founder of Lily Pad. “For victims of crime and children in crisis, environment matters.”

See the before and after gallery for a look at our design.

The trauma-informed room was developed in partnership with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit and Sergeant Sarah Arms. The space will serve multiple purposes, including victim interviews, private meetings with advocates, and temporary support for children awaiting Department of Social Services pickup.

What was once a stark, functional office has now been transformed into a calming environment intentionally designed to reduce stress and provide comfort during difficult moments.

The room includes soft seating, weighted blankets, books, sensory tools, and calming design elements selected to help children and victims feel safe and supported. These features also create a more private and trauma-informed environment for investigators and advocates as they respond to crisis situations.

This partnership began after Sergeant Sarah Arms recognized the emotional impact traditional law enforcement environments can have on victims during difficult conversations and interviews.

Her desire to create a softer, safer, and more dignified space became the catalyst for this project and helped confirm for Lily Pad that expanding into law enforcement was a natural next step in the mission.

A New Chapter for Trauma-Informed Care in South Carolina

For Lily Pad founders Jennifer and Benjamin Tice, the project also represented a return to the organization’s roots.

Before statewide partnerships and larger installations, Lily Pad spaces were built through hands-on work alongside volunteers and community members. Painting walls, laying floors, and creating comforting environments together.

As Lily Pad stepped into this first law enforcement partnership, Ben and Jennifer once again found themselves side by side painting walls and laying flooring together, a reminder that while the mission continues growing, the heart behind it remains the same.

Since 2022, and as of May 2026, Lily Pad has created more than 42 trauma-informed spaces across South Carolina through partnerships with governmental agencies, law enforcement, and community organizations.

This new space represents an important milestone for the organization and a broader vision for how communities can support victims and children experiencing crisis from the very first point of contact.

The environments people encounter during trauma shape how they experience those moments and what comes next.

No child should spend their hardest day in a cold office.

No victim should feel unseen while asking for help.

Lily Pad believes compassionate spaces communicate dignity, safety, and care in moments when people need it most.

The organization is especially grateful to Doug Hunt and Resproland for generously funding this project and helping make the space possible for the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office and the community they serve.

As Lily Pad continues expanding across South Carolina, partnerships like this one reflect a growing commitment to ensuring children, victims, and families are met with compassion and support wherever crisis response begins.

You can help support future Lily Pad spaces by donating, volunteering, or partnering with Lily Pad to create trauma-informed environments for vulnerable children and victims across South Carolina.

Learn more at LilyPadInc.org.