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PITTSBURG —
There has been good news and bad news for the Children’s Advocacy Center.
On June 21 the CAC was awarded accreditation by the National Children’s Alliance, the highest level of membership with the NCA. It is given in recognition of high quality and effective services to child abuse victims.
“It’s been an ongoing process,” said Sandy Morris, CAC director. “The application is about 100 pages, and they came down in September 2011 for an on-site visit. Our board members and multi-disciplinary team members spoke to the site reviewers.”
However, at the very same time the good news about accreditation was received, there was the bad news that CAC had only a little over $300 left to operate on.
“We knew that we had to get more money or we might have had to shut the doors that Friday,” said Bill Coleman, board member.
That crisis was averted, and the Pittsburg CAC remains open, but funding problems also remain, made even worse by the poor economy and funding cuts that have impacted numerous nonprofit agencies.
“We are a nonprofit agency and the services we provide are free,” Morris said.
Those services include providing a child-friendly environment where trained forensic interviewers talk with children who may be the victims of sexual abuse. Referrals are also made to other agencies that may be helpful to the child and family. In addition CAC facilitates professional and community education, personal safety awareness school programs and prevention programs.
“Depending on two staff members and a few volunteers each year, we have been able to serve more than 1,250 southeast Kansas children and their non-offending caregivers over the years,” Morris said. “Fortunately, we have had the benefit of law enforcement officers and social workers to augment our forensic interview ability, giving CAC staff the opportunity to act as child and family advocates.”
She said that the collaboration with the Multidisciplinary Team has enabled the CAC to operate on a minimal budget.
Team members include the Crawford County Attorney’s Office, local law enforcement, SRS, Crawford County Health Department, Community Mental Health Center of Crawford County, Via Christi Medical Center, Safehouse and the KBI.
Team members are allowed to observe interviews, and when the team finishes its investigation, reports are sent to the County Attorney’s office. The county attorney will decided whether or not to prosecute the case.
The Pittsburg CAC is probably one of the smallest centers in the nation to receive the national accreditation.
There has been good news and bad news for the Children’s Advocacy Center.
On June 21 the CAC was awarded accreditation by the National Children’s Alliance, the highest level of membership with the NCA. It is given in recognition of high quality and effective services to child abuse victims.
“It’s been an ongoing process,” said Sandy Morris, CAC director. “The application is about 100 pages, and they came down in September 2011 for an on-site visit. Our board members and multi-disciplinary team members spoke to the site reviewers.”
However, at the very same time the good news about accreditation was received, there was the bad news that CAC had only a little over $300 left to operate on.
“We knew that we had to get more money or we might have had to shut the doors that Friday,” said Bill Coleman, board member.
That crisis was averted, and the Pittsburg CAC remains open, but funding problems also remain, made even worse by the poor economy and funding cuts that have impacted numerous nonprofit agencies.
“We are a nonprofit agency and the services we provide are free,” Morris said.
Those services include providing a child-friendly environment where trained forensic interviewers talk with children who may be the victims of sexual abuse. Referrals are also made to other agencies that may be helpful to the child and family. In addition CAC facilitates professional and community education, personal safety awareness school programs and prevention programs.
“Depending on two staff members and a few volunteers each year, we have been able to serve more than 1,250 southeast Kansas children and their non-offending caregivers over the years,” Morris said. “Fortunately, we have had the benefit of law enforcement officers and social workers to augment our forensic interview ability, giving CAC staff the opportunity to act as child and family advocates.”
She said that the collaboration with the Multidisciplinary Team has enabled the CAC to operate on a minimal budget.
Team members include the Crawford County Attorney’s Office, local law enforcement, SRS, Crawford County Health Department, Community Mental Health Center of Crawford County, Via Christi Medical Center, Safehouse and the KBI.
Team members are allowed to observe interviews, and when the team finishes its investigation, reports are sent to the County Attorney’s office. The county attorney will decided whether or not to prosecute the case.
The Pittsburg CAC is probably one of the smallest centers in the nation to receive the national accreditation.
It is based in a remodeled home, purchased by a donor, at 123 W. Adams. It was first housed at the former Lincoln Elementary School. Michael Ehling wrote the original grant for the CAC in July of 1998, and the center opened in 1999.
From the beginning, the center has been made homey and child-friendly, with books, coloring books and stuffed animals, so that youngsters will feel more comfortable.
“Kids will come in our door they may be slumped over and crying,” Morris said. “Many times, as they leave, they ask when they can come back.”
Special techniques may be needed to communicate with the young abuse victims.
“We use dolls with our younger kids,” Morris said. “The dolls have body parts like we do, and the interviewer uses the same words the child uses.”
“We tell the child that these are not dolls you play with,” said Tracy Faucett of the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department who is trained as a forensic interviewer. “If the child is uncomfortable, we put the dolls away.”
She said that she has been investigating crimes against children for the past 27 years.
“The forensic interviews and the members of the Multidisciplinary Team, these people are heroes,” said Ron Marrone, CAC board president. “I pray for these people.”
Regardless of age, it is often difficult for children to talk about sexual abuse.
“They talk about ‘stranger danger,’ but in only 10 or 11 percent of sex abuse cases is the perpetrator a stranger,” Ehling said. “Most of the time it’s someone the child knows, maybe even a family member. Maybe the child likes that person, or they’re afraid they won’t be believed.”
Some victims keep their secrets a long, long time.
“When we first opened up, an 80-year-old woman came in,” Coleman said. “She had been molested as a child and this was the first time she had told about it.”
He noted that it costs nearly $5,500 a month to operate the CAC.
“We always live virtually hand-to-mouth,” Coleman said. “We can get grants for things, if we needed a new roof or a table, but what we really need is operating money.”
Receiving the national accreditation may help with this.
“Being nationally accredited will open a new stream of grants and donors to us,” Marrone said.
Morris said that this should help the CAC get more money from the state, and added that, as an accredited member rather than an associate member of the National Children’s Alliance, the CAC should be eligible for a higher level of assistance from the group.
However, she noted that every donation, including the $10 or $25 gifts, are very important to help CAC continue its mission.
“I’ve been here long enough to have some people we’ve interviewed as children come back and tell me that they are now married, have kids of their own and they’re happy,” Morris said. “With a supportive family and mental health services, children can come through this.”
