NORWICH – Last Friday, a new Child Advocacy Center opened in downtown Norwich to serve as a hub for those responding to violence and sex abuse crimes against children.
The center’s new home is the former St. Bartholomew Church’s rectory building at 8 Silver St. in Norwich. Friday’s ceremony began with a blessing by Father Ralph Bove.
New York State Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch of the 107th District presented a proclamation from the legislature honoring the center.
“This is something all of the county can be proud of. A place where children can be offered compassion, something they unfortunately don’t always see,” said Crouch.
The Child Advocacy Center is operated by Catholic Charities of Chenango County as part of its Crime Victims Program.
Catholic Charities Executive Director Jane Coddington said moving the center from inside the organization’s main building across the city at 3 O’Hara Dr. to its own building had been planned since 2002. Coddington singled out the work of Child Advocacy Center Supervisor Tim Hagen and Crime Victims Program Director Dan Auwarter for their dedication in addressing the needs of victims.
The ceremony also presented appreciation plaques to New York State Police Sgt. Michael Layman, Child Protective Service Supervisors Kathy Lavoie and Beth Beers, Chenango County Sheriff Ernest R. Cutting and Norwich Police Chief Joseph Angelino.
During his remarks, District Attorney Joseph McBride noted that Hagen was instrumental in arranging the site’s new location, which he joked included him coming in the night before to clean and vacuum for the opening ceremony.
“Our system of justice is not kid-friendly. Now, that’s not a criticism. That’s a fact, which we have all observed firsthand. And it is something that we have the ability to change. That’s what this new Children’s Advocacy Center is all about, a way to promote safety and justice for children without victimizing them further,” said Hagen.
The center will house counseling services and serve as the headquarters for a multidisciplinary team.
During investigations involving children, the multi-disciplinary team coordinates a number of agencies including the District Attorney’s Office, Family Court, Probation Department, Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Social Services, Child Protective Service, Chenango Memorial Hospital, state police and the Norwich Police Department.
“The multidisciplinary team is an interagency investigative team, comprised of professionals from the key disciplines involved in investigating and prosecuting child abuse cases,” explained Hagen.
Each group can conduct simultaneous investigations and treatments. The child victims are interviewed by the same investigator during the process and spared multiple exposures to numerous individuals and repetitive interviews – experiences that are often traumatic.
The cooperation has also aided in shaping a more thorough investigation for law enforcement, avoided wrongful prosecutions and obtained more credible testimony for prosecution against offenders.
“For the children and families that we serve, may this be a place of refuge for them from what I can only imagine as one of life’s most crippling storms,” Hagen told the audience.