ONE CHILD. ONE PLACE. ONE TIME                                             HOME

Carol Donaldson, President

The growth of Children's Advocacy Centers across the State of Georgia has been exciting! The multi-disciplinary team approach to child abuse investigation, case review and follow-up, which a children's advocacy center facilitates, requires more communication, collaboration and accountability in child abuse cases.   The child-focused team approach to the investigation, in the child-friendly environment of a children's advocacy center, ensures that children are not further victimized by those systems designed to protect them.

The growth of this network of centers in communities across the state of Georgia, from six in 1993 to 26 in 2001, reflects the commitment of agency professionals and child advocates to the "one child, one place, one time" philosophy.  Slowly, law enforcement, child protection professionals, prosecutors and the mental health, victim advocacy and medical communities are coming to see the value of a child-focused investigation that will reduce the trauma to the child.

This past year CACGA has implemented a uniform case tracking system that enables us to report accurate statistical information.  The development of this software has been difficult and tedious, but the variety of CAC services, which reflects the needs of each community or Judicial Circuit, can now be reported.

In addition, we are pleased with the formation of the Advocates Council, composed of individuals who will assist us in building awareness of Children's Advocacy Centers.  Membership includes, Louisa Abbott (Savannah), Lillian Kirbo Ansley (Atlanta), Giles Barton (Alpharetta), Doug Bowes (Alpharetta), Betty Cook (Atlanta), Ann Crammer (Atlanta) George (Buddy) Darden (Marietta), Pat Gardner (Atlanta), Jacqueline Groover (Lakemont), Jo Kirschner (Cartersville), Joe Montgomery (Rome), Rita Rocker (Atlanta), Dale Russell (Atlanta), and David Tatum (Atlanta).

Please join us in thanking Governor Roy Barnes, State Legislators, Child Advocate Dee Simms, and advocates throughout the state for their support.  The public-private partnership created by a children's advocacy center may be the best weapon now known in the battle to protect Georgia's children.  There are those who will exploit our children for their own pleasure and purpose and rob them of a healthy childhood.  We must continue to work collaboratively, seek best practices, and combine state, federal, and private resources.  And we must not fail.  The future of many of Georgia's children depends on what we do today.


Centers Achieving Full Membership

The Appalachian Children's Center
Ellijay:
The Appalachian Children's Center exists because of the hard work of professionals within the Appalachian Judicial Circuit who are committed to the welfare of children These include the Honorable Brenda Weaver, Chief Superior Court Judge; Roger Queen, District Attorney; Dianne Scoggins, CASA; Sherri Kirk, District Attorney's Office; and the Honorable William Reilley, Juvenile Court.

Rainbow Connection
Jonesboro
Rainbow Connection Children's Advocacy and Assessment Center provides the full range of services to children who may be victims of abuse Forensic interviews, evaluations, medical examinations, and treatment In a wide range of modalities are all available on site at our child-friendly facility Rainbow Connection would like to thank Clayton County District Attorney Robert Keller and Victims Assistance Coordinator Christie Smith-Jones for both their extensive financial support of the forensic interview component and their willingness to collaborate and enhance the program of services Karen Nash, LCSW at SafePath Child Advocacy Center, also deserves recognition for her generosity in sharing her time, ideas, materials, allowing for a strong Clinical Intern Training Program to be developed.

Golden Isles Children's Center
Brunswick
Golden Isles Children's Center was started through the leadership of Stephen D Kelley, District Attorney of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit Centered in a newly renovated house, a multidisciplinary team of law enforcement, DFCS, prosecution, medical and mental health, and victim assistance professionals work together to provide support, prevention, intervention and investigation services to reduce the trauma to a child that may have been abused.

Forsyth County Children's Advocacy Center
Cumming
The Forsyth County Children's Advocacy Center, located in a little yellow cottage just off the court house square, is a unique, grass roots, community-based Advocacy Center Over the past year individuals, organizations, churches, court systems, governmental agencies and businesses have come together in a collaborative effort to address the community problem of child abuse.

Stepping Stone
Dublin
The Stepping Stone Children's Advocacy Centers would not have been possible with out the support of Representatives Terry Coleman and DuBose Porter, local foundations, and the community. Housed in a temporary facility, a Community Development Block Grant has been awarded to renovate a permanent site for the Center.


INCREASE RATE OF PROSECUTION

Tami Colston

This article was written when Ms Colston was the District Attorney for the Floyd County Judicial Circuit She was recently appointed as the fourth Superior Court Judge for the Floyd County Judicial Circuit.

A frequently asked question for Children's Advocacy Centers has been, " Is the program effective? " At Harbor House the answer is yes! The primary goal of the Harbor House Children's Advocacy Centers in Rome and of all Children's Advocacy Centers is to provide a child-friendly environment for child interviews of allegations of abuse and to facilitate a coordinated multi-agency investigation and review process "Effectiveness" should be defined by whether or not that environment is being provided for children It most certainly is being provided at Harbor House

But the public enjoys a side benefit of this program In the natural and inevitable result of more effective investigations and prosecution of the abusers When agencies coordinate their efforts the effect of their work is multiplied This approach improves the outcome not only for children, but also professionals who work in this emotionally draining field Because CACs expose false reports as well, individuals accused of child abuse also benefit in that there are safeguards built into a system that is not law-enforcement driven.

Harbor House's effectiveness is evidenced by the number of cases successfully charged and prosecuted According to the Floyd County District Attorney Office's statistics, only fifteen cases of child sexual abuse were prosecuted in 1996 with twelve (80%) resulting in conviction These cases were investigated before Harbor House had been fully developed in 1995-1996 In two short years, the number of child abuse cases prosecuted increased approximately 200% due to the hard work of the many agencies composing the Interdisciplinary Case Review Team.

Between 1998 and 2000, 125 child abuse cases were filed in Floyd County Superior Court, with seven of those eventually being dismissed for a variety of evidentiary or procedural issues Of the remaining 118 cases, 80 of the defendants pled guilty, whereby the child did not have to experience the trauma of facing the alleged abuser and testifying in court The other 38 cases were tried before a jury with 29 of those resulting in a conviction Therefore, 109 of 118 (92% ) cases that were actually prosecuted resulted in convictions. The number of pleas and prosecutions resulting in convictions of child sexual abuse and severe physical abuse has increased every year since Harbor House opened its doors and began its work.

It is important to recognize that these prosecuted cases represent less than half of all child abuse cases referred to Harbor House involving alleged adult perpetrators In the remainder of cases involving adult perpetrators, It was determined that either no child abuse occurred or insufficient evidence was available to justify prosecution Therefore, it is evident that utilizing Harbor House facilitates prosecution of the guilty while dismissing those cases where abuse has not occurred, thereby protecting those who could have been falsely accused.


TELEMEDICINE AND CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS

The Center for Advocacy & Protection at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta has recently been selected as one of 12 Children's Advocacy Centers nationally to participate in a video-teleconferencing pilot project with the National Children's Alliance/Regional Children's Advocacy Center.  The Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center and United States Telemed Corporation will coordinate the project.

The project hopes to use technology as a vehicle to enhance the quality of services to children who may have been abused or neglected; provide a national mentoring network for professionals; provide a connection for geographically and professionally isolated professionals and determine if teleconferencing is an effective vehicle to enhance the quality of services to victims and develop a national teleconferencing model for Children's Advocacy Centers.

The Center for Advocacy & Protection is also involved in networking with other physicians throughout Georgia to advocate for appropriate forensic evaluation of children who may have been abused.  Their vision is to have a telemedicine program In Georgia which would offer second opinions, training, PhD supervision and peer review.

HOME