A place for children to feel safe
The rooms set aside for the children and teens are cheerful - pastel colors and plenty of toys and video games - but the tales the children tell can be horrendous.
The Children's Advocacy Center of Plymouth County, housed in a large sunny house on Pleasant Street in Brockton, is for children and adolescents between the ages of 3 and 18 who have been sexually or physically abused or neglected.
The center is an unusual partnership between the Plymouth County district attorney's office and Brockton Area Multi-Services Inc., a nonprofit service agency serving Southeastern Massachusetts. Both agree the center has worked well.
Last year, about 500 children and their parents were served by the center, which offers medical assistance, mental health counseling, and other family services. This year, about 300 children have passed through the center's doors, according to officials.
"I don't think people realize how big the problem is," said District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz. "We had 500 kids here and the population of the county is a half-million." The ripple effect - the number of people affected by one abused child - makes it even more serious, he said.
The operations cost about $180,000 a year. This year, the center is receiving $100,000 in state assistance. Funding also comes from an annual golf tournament. Past tournaments have raised about $30,000; the goal this year is $35,000, said Tony Simonelli, chief executive officer of the Brockton nonprofit.
"Our obligation is to make sure we're protecting the kids," said Cruz.
The center is designed to ease trauma, said Simonelli. When families arrive, they typically feel angry, confused, and frightened. They are uncertain about what will happen to them and their child, according to staff. The center's warm environment and comprehensive services aim to lessen the stress on the child and family, while providing support.
He gave an example: Cruz said that in past years, an abused child might be interviewed any number of times - by a teacher, principal, nurse, police officer. It's a nightmare for the child and "at some point, you don't want to tell the story any more," said Cruz. At the center, the child is interviewed one on one by a forensic interviewer who is trained to ask nonleading questions, in a room equipped with video cameras. In a separate room, others, such as a police officer and an assistant district attorney, or someone from DSS, can watch the interview and relay questions to the interviewer.
The center tries to move quickly, too. Most children are taken in either the day the abuse is reported or the following day. That makes it easier to build criminal cases against perpetrators because the evidence is fresh, said officials, although the cases are still difficult to prove.
The center tries to ensure that victims meet with a mental health counselor within two days. Family members are also helped. The guilt can be tremendous, said officials.
The advocacy center, as a part of the district attorney's office, has existed since 1998. Because of a growing number of referrals, the office joined hands with the nonprofit in January 2005. The partnership is unique, said Nicole Richardi, the center's forensic interviewer, who works for the district attorney's office. The center has three full-time employees and one part-time.
Matt Carroll can be reached at mcarroll@globe.com.
The golf tournament is Aug. 18 at New Seabury in Mashpee. The last day to sign up is tomorrow. For information call 508-580-8700, ext. 111.
