Forensic 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.