Forensic Support Services
Intake Program:
Reports of sexual abuse are received through the Police or the DCFS Child Abuse Hotline by the Center’s intake coordinators, who schedule times for families to come to the Center for their forensic interview. The CCAC Intake Coordinators schedule medical appointments at the CCAC, arrange transportation and coordinate the scheduling of Forensic Interviews. The Intake Coordinators contact the family to educate them as to what to expect when they come to the CCAC, answer questions and begin to assess the family’s needs, so the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) is prepared when the family arrives for the Forensic Interview. The Intake Coordinators convey case specific information to the MDT members, as they plan for and participate in the daily MDT morning meeting.
Forensic Interviewing Program:
The goal of a forensic interview is to obtain a statement from a child who may have been abused. The interview is conducted in a developmentally-sensitive, unbiased and truth seeking manner that will support accurate and fair decision-making in the criminal justice and child welfare systems. Through a series of non-leading questions, the interviewer gently assesses the child’s communication skills so the interview is conducted at a level that is consistent with the child’s developmental abilities.
The forensic interview is used to assess whether or not a crime has occurred. As needed, employees of the Chicago Police Department, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (as needed) witness the interview from behind a one-way mirror to help the child feel more comfortable.
Family Support Services:
The Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center’s (CCAC) Advocacy Program is critical to the success of child sexual abuse investigations and to helping children and families receive compassionate services at the Center. Family advocates provide support and assistance to children and families experiencing the trauma of child sexual abuse. The advocate educates families about the roles of each of the investigating agencies at the Center, how the investigation will proceed, and the systems that are in place to help children and families who are experiencing a crisis. Advocates inform families about the Illinois Attorney General’s Crime Victim’s Compensation program, which provides financial assistance to victims of violent crimes and will aid the families with the necessary paperwork. Advocates meet with the family to review their situation and discuss counseling services, medical care, housing, domestic violence, safety concerns, mental health, educational issues, employment, financial assistance, food and clothing needs. Based on the family’s needs, the advocates provide the names and phone numbers of the support services located close to the family’s home. The advocates also make follow-up phone calls and in some cases home visits to families after their appointment at the CCAC to check on the overall status of the family for a minimum of 30 days. Services are available in English, Spanish and Polish. In the event that a child or parent has special needs, a health advocate or a clinical advocate will be assigned to the case, rather than a general family advocate. When a child receives a medical examination at the CCAC, a medical advocate will provide services to the family while working with the medical clinic.
Court Advocacy:
Long term advocacy is provided to families with special needs who are involved in criminal court proceedings. Although the majority of court advocacy services are provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Victim Witness program, some families require specialized services and coordination. Cases accepted for long term advocacy are families who are being seen for complex mental health services at the CCAC or when a request is made by any MDT Partner. The advocate works with the state’s attorney to prepare the family for appearances in court. The advocate will take the child to visit the courtroom to familiarize the child with the surroundings. The advocate will often accompany the family to court to provide assistance, support, and explain the proceedings. Advocates will continue working on the case as long as it is in the courts, which can take as long as three years.
Multidisciplinary Pediatric Education and Evaluation Consortium (MPEEC):
The goals of MPEEC are to create expert medical and investigative team collaborations for the accurate diagnosis and management of suspected child physical abuse to ensure the best outcome for children and families. Additionally, the MPEEC Physician’s work with DCFS and the Chicago Police Department Special Victim’s Unit to rapidly identify those children whose injuries are the result of non-intentional trauma and to minimize disruption to their families.
