Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center Celebrate 35 Years

The Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center will have an open house on July 10, 2024, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am to celebrate 35 years of protecting children in central Illinois. To effectively combat the scourge of child abuse, it is imperative that communities work together to protect vulnerable children.

One local organization that contributes to this important work is the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center (CAC). The Sangamon County CAC was established in July 1989 and has been serving Sangamon County families for 35 years. It was modeled after the National Children’s Advocacy Center in Huntsville, Alabama, which opened in 1985. Today, there are over 600 child advocacy centers across the country. The core focus of these centers is to provide a multidisciplinary team approach to cases where child abuse is suspected. Unlike a traditional criminal investigation, under the multidisciplinary approach, the child is interviewed once by a trained forensic interviewer in a way that does not re-traumatize the child. Then, a team of professionals, which includes medical and mental health providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, DCFS, and others, make decisions together about how to help the child based on the interview and specific facts of the case. Therapists are on site to assist young victims and provide trauma-focused therapy. Victim advocates provide services to victims and family members from the time the case is opened for investigation through disposition.

Since its inception, the Sangamon County CAC has served thousands of children and helped them cope with the traumatic effects of child abuse. Initially only dealing with sexually abused children, over the years, the CAC expanded to help child victims of physical abuse. According to CAC Director Denise Johnson, “The Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center is dedicated to a coordinated approach to child abuse investigations. We strive to provide a safe, child-focused setting for investigations to ensure victims and their families receive quality services and to raise awareness in the community to combat child abuse.” Echoes Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser, who serves as the chairman of the Child Advocacy Center Advisory Board, “The CAC brings a team concept to the investigation and prosecution of these sensitive cases and strives to not only hold the offender accountable but also to protect and help these vulnerable child victims.” The CAC’s impact extends beyond Sangamon County; it also serves Logan, Christian, and Menard County residents with its multidisciplinary approach. States Betsy Goulet, the Director of the CAC when it started 35 years ago, “We are so grateful to the community leaders early on, including Bill Roberts, Don Cadagin, Mike Curran and others who understood the need for a coordinated approach to the investigation of child abuse and that need continues today.”

The CAC is located at 1101 East Monroe, in Springfield. Current CAC Director Denise Johnson and the staff of the CAC will be present at the open house. Also in attendance will be the original director who started the CAC 35 years ago, Betsy Goulet, and State’s Attorney John Milhiser. Tours of the facility will be available.