The Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center held an open house this week to celebrate 35 years of protecting children in central Illinois. Officials say that to effectively combat the scourge of child abuse, it is imperative that communities work together to protect vulnerable children.
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. By 2024, there were over 600 child advocacy centers across the country.
The core focus of these centers was to provide a multidisciplinary team approach to cases where child abuse was suspected. Unlike a traditional criminal investigation, under the multidisciplinary approach, the child was interviewed once by a trained forensic interviewer in a way that did not re-traumatize the child. Then, a team of professionals, which included medical and mental health providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, and others, made decisions together about how to help the child based on the interview and specific facts of the case. Therapists were on site to assist young victims and provide trauma-focused therapy. Victim advocates provided services to victims and family members from the time the case was 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.”
Echoing this sentiment was Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser, who served 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 extended beyond Sangamon County; it also served Logan, Christian, and Menard County residents with its multidisciplinary approach.
Betsy Goulet, the Director of the CAC when it started 35 years ago, stated, “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.”
