Support Services

Transportation:

The CCAC’s transportation program provides transportation to and from the Center for an average of 75 families per week who would otherwise not be able to access the programs and services provided by advocacy center staff and partners. The CCAC has four full-time and one part time transportation operators. We own three mini-vans and one 11 passenger van and travel between 800-900 miles each week. The Advocacy Center also provides CTA fare cards and cab vouchers for families who are able to get to the center by those means.

Reception:

The Advocacy Center Receptionists greet each client as they enter. They provide coffee, juice, tea and snacks to clients and visitors and ensure their comfort while they wait for their appointments. The receptionists make individual name tags for each child that enters the Center so that they may be addressed by their names rather than common terms of endearment during their visit. Receptionists also facilitate communication between families utilizing transportation services, staff and partners and transportation operators. Often it seems as though they are directing traffic in the solarium itself. In addition to these contributions, the reception staff maintains Support Services data bases and assists with inventory distribution and control.

Interpreting:

Many of the families served by the CCAC are non English speaking clients. While the CCAC maintains bi-lingual staff who are always available to meet the needs of these families, often our partner agencies are unable to assign their cases in this way. In order to provide our clients with the most appropriate services, the CCAC also provides trained interpreters to facilitate the highest level of communication between our families and partners. CCAC interpreters provide simultaneous interpretation for forensic interviews, medical exams, crisis interventions and police and DCFS interviews.

Child Life:

The objective of the Child life program is to make a child’s experience visiting the CCAC less stressful and more empowering. 3000 children each year spend time in the CCAC’s Child Life environment before their forensic interview and mental health appointments. The experienced Child Life staff provides a therapeutic environment that builds trust, relieves anxiety and ensures that children are in the most appropriate state emotionally to participate in their forensic interviews and mental health appointments. Child Life staff is also in a unique position to observe concerning behavior and make referrals to crisis screening staff.