Children's Advocacy Center serving McLean, Livingston & Dewitt Counties

History

Since 1995, the McLean County Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) has been providing specialized services to child victims and their nonoffending caregivers in McLean County. In 1999, we expanded our efforts and began to serve Livingston and Dewitt County children, pursuant to the protocol, at satellite locations within those jurisdictions.  The CAC is a safe and child-friendly place where children who may have been abused or witnessed violence can come to talk about their experiences with trained professionals. The CAC provides a supportive environment for the child and their family and coordinates the investigation and intervention process to minimize trauma for the child. At the CAC, there is an inter-agency coordinated response in which representatives from law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical, and victim advocacy - collaborate to investigate child abuse reports, conduct forensic interviews, determine and provide evidence-based interventions, and assess cases for prosecution. The CAC provides a strong community presence and outreach on child abuse prevention and education issues.

CAC organization

Mission

The mission of the CAC is to support the rights of children in cases of abuse and neglect, to operate utilizing the ChildFirst® Doctrine, and to protect children from abuse. The CAC aims to provide comprehensive service delivery to child victims and their families, ensuring that the best interests of abused/neglected children are met.  

The Children's Advocacy Center does not discriminate on the basis of gender identity, race, national origin, color, religion, sex, disability, age, and sexual orientation. 

Referrals to the McLean County Children’s Advocacy Center are made by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and law enforcement. The CAC provides case coordination, forensic interviews, advocacy, and mental health services.

Multidisciplinary Team Coordination (MDT)

Upon receiving a case, the CAC collaborates with our partner agencies to coordinate the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse cases. Active Case Coordination by the MDT includes communicating with our partner agencies to document and update client cases, initiating and coordinating case investigation and movement, and conducting MDT collaboration meetings.

Forensic Interviews

A forensic interview is a structured, open-ended conversation that is child-centered and non-leading about a possible event(s) they may have experienced or witnessed.  The goals of the forensic interview are to find facts, assess the child’s safety, assess the need for medical or mental health care, and minimize the number of times the child talks about the events or experiences. 

Advocacy

Advocates play a crucial role in helping to support the child and their families throughout the whole process. As the case goes through the investigation, prosecution, and healing process, the Advocate is there to help the family understand the process and learn about their rights. They offer support and assistance with referrals for resources such as counseling and other community support. Families may have access to food, clothing, toiletries, and other financial assistance as needed. 

Mental Health Services

The Children’s Advocacy Center provides a safe place for children and their families to begin healing after experiencing child abuse or witnessing a violent crime.  Part of our multidisciplinary team response includes access to trauma assessment and specialized trauma-focused mental health services for child victims and non-offending family members.  

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