EDWARDSVILLE — State’s Attorney Tom Haine and Sheriff Jeff Connor are asking the public to join them in supporting the Madison County Child Advocacy Center’s upcoming fundraising event. The Child Advocacy Center’s Trivia Night is on Feb. 25 at the Madison County Fireman’s Hall, 9510 Collinsville Road in Collinsville.
The CAC is accepting registration for participants and is seeking sponsors and donations for a silent auction. Haine said the CAC plays a vital role in the successful prosecution of offenders who abuse or neglect children. “In a case involving physical or sexual abuse of a child, the child’s account of what happened is a key component of the prosecution’s case,” Haine said.
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“The CAC provides a safe, comforting environment where child victims can talk with specially-trained interviewers about what happened,” Connor said interviews of child victims during an investigation have the potential to re-traumatize the child, but the CAC’s interview process minimizes the potential trauma. “The CAC utilizes a multidisciplinary team of professionals who conduct a single, coordinated forensic interview with each child, eliminating the need for a child to be interviewed multiple times,” Connor said. “These teams include members of law enforcement, prosecutors, child protection, social workers and health professionals. The interviews are conducted in a child-focused setting that reduces anxiety and allows the child to communicate in a more relaxed manner.”
Roughly 500 forensic interviews are conducted each year at the Child Advocacy Center. The CAC also provides on-site therapy and crisis-intervention services, so that healing can begin for victims. The CAC is accepting sponsorships and auction items until Monday, Feb. 20, to ensure there is sufficient time for listing the sponsors and donors on printed materials.
Carrie Cohan, executive director of the Child Advocacy Center, said the annual Trivia Night is an important fundraiser for the CAC. “In 2023, the Madison County Child Advocacy Center is celebrating 20 years of providing hope and healing to children and families in Madison and Bond counties. Supporting events like Trivia Night allows the CAC to continue to provide a place where children are heard, supported, and connected,” Cohan said. Information about the Trivia Night is available by contacting the CAC Fund Development Specialist, Caroline, at celivingstone@madisoncountyil.gov. Additional information about the Trivia Night is available under the Events tab at www.madco-cac.org.
