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SPRINGFIELD, IL, June 2023 – The 41 Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) around the state will see a $3.7 million dollar increase in funding in FY24, a result of recommendations by the Task Force on Children Advocacy Centers and Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children Funding. The task force led by Senator Julie Morrison (D – Deerfield) and State Representative Terra Costa Howard (D – Lombard) met last year and issued recommendations on the level of funding for CACs and the mechanism for the funding to be delivered to CACs around the state.
The additional $3,713,544 in state funding is contained in the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) FY24 budget and reflects a 66% increase in funding for CACs across the state.
Kim Mangiaracino, the Executive Director of the Children's Advocacy Centers of Illinois, says that this funding will first fill the gap left by the federal Victims of Crime Act funding reductions and in addition, will establish an equitable funding base for CACs across the state regardless of location. “A sincere thank you to Senator Julie Morrison and Representative Terra Costa Howard for the time that they devoted to the task force in drawing attention to the issue of adequate funding for Illinois CACs, so many children and families will benefit from the work you spearheaded”. Additionally, “we thank Governor JB Pritzker and the Department of Children and Family Services for taking these recommendations and ensuring that CACs are a priority in the state budget. Your commitment to our work and confidence in our agencies inspire us to continue advocating for the most vulnerable in our state”.
| June 15, 2023 - CACI Executive Director, Kim Mangiaracino, sat down for an interview with 92.7 WMAY's Jim Leach to shed light on the profound impact of this budgetary boost and its implications to the work of our organization, and the 41 Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) in Illinois. | | |
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Six CACI team members alongside 13 Illinois CAC Executive Directors and staff represented our state at the prestigious National Children's Alliance Leadership Conference in Washington, DC!
Check out this amazing photo of our passionate team, and NCA CEO, Teresa Huizar, ready to make a difference for child abuse victims across Illinois and beyond!
We were incredibly proud to join hands with professionals, experts, and advocates from around the country, coming together to ensure the well-being of every child.
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A violent crime can have a lasting impact and can bring changes that one might not expect. The Office of the Illinois Attorney General led the way for legislation that created the Crime Victims Compensation Act. This law reserved resources to help those who lives were interrupted by a violent crime.
We encourage you to visit their recently updated website with information on Crime Victim Services and on the Compensation Program.
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A farewell message from Cara Vock
Director of Programs and Member Services
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After an almost seven-year journey with the talented individuals within Children's Advocacy Centers and Multi-Disciplinary Teams throughout Illinois, the time has come for me to leave CACI, on June 23. I have decided to shift my passions to the position of Chapter Development Program Manager at the Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center. This exciting opportunity will allow for me to collaborate with 16-chapter state leaders in the southern United States, by supporting them as they develop their chapters further.
As I depart, I want to take a moment to reflect on my time at CACI. Since joining this amazing team in 2016, I have witnessed new faces gather, both at CACI and within our teams across the state. Collaboration with stakeholders and statewide initiatives taught me about the impact we can make. New funding opportunities through VOCA and NCA project funds made significant changes in our mission to support children in our communities and statewide. We have embraced the power of technology to enhance collaboration through virtual connections and data-driven projects. We have collectively recognized the importance of self-care, understanding that our own well-being is pivotal to delivering impactful work. And along the way, I have had the privilege of sharing laughter, tears, and walk alongside many of you during both in challenging and exciting times. I appreciate you all for allowing me into your lives and sharing those moments with me.
The Illinois Chapter has been an absolute honor to work for. CACI is a space where I have witnessed individuals advocate on behalf of all Children's Advocacy Centers endlessly, and I have no doubt that greatness awaits your CACs and teams in the years to come. I am truly blessed and thankful for the growth I have experienced from my friends at CACI. I look forward to our future growth within the Children's Advocacy Center movement and await our next journey together.
Wishing you all the best,
Cara
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Meet Mackenzie Dowling, CACI Director of Programs! Mackenzie comes to CACI from Illinois State University where she worked as a Program Coordinator. She received her bachelor's degree in Public Management and Policy from the University of Arizona, and her master's degree in College Student Personnel Administration from Illinois State University. In her time outside of work she can be found traveling with her fiance, exploring local eats, and playing with her pup Toby.
She is so excited to be joining the CACI team and we know that her dedication and experience will be invaluable as we work towards a safer and brighter future for children in Illinois.
| Meet Jayonna Craig, VOCA Grant Monitor! "Thrilled to embark on a new professional journey as a Grant Manager at CACI. With a passion for driving positive change through strategic funding. I am dedicated to maximizing grant opportunities, fostering collaborations, and ensuring impactful outcomes. I am extremely excited to join this team." | Meet Sarah L. Taylor, CACI DCFS Grant Monitor! "Moving from the State of Illinois to CACI, Sarah brings her strong fiscal and administrative experience. Away from work you can find her making a mess either gardening, dyeing textiles or painting whatever might be lying around. She also loves fishing and live music. Most importantly, she strives to be the best mom she can be to her 8 year old daughter, Stella and their cat, Pigeon." | |
Meet Lauren Crocker, CACI Grant Compliance Specialist! "Today, I am delighted to share a glimpse into my life through this biography. My name is Lauren Crocker, and I am the new Grant Compliance Specialist here at CACI. I feel privileged to be part of this extraordinary team. Let me take a moment to introduce myself and share the beautiful journey that has shaped me into who I am today. First and foremost, I am a proud single mom to an incredible 6-year-old boy. He is the center of my universe and the driving force behind everything I do. Being a mother has been a transformative experience, filled with immeasurable love and cherished moments. Together, my little one and I navigate the ups and downs of life, growing and learning from one another every step of the way. Our household holds a deep love for the Mexican cuisine and we can almost always be found eating tacos and queso weekly. When we're not eating our weight in tacos, you can always find us at my son's sports events or practices. I am an enthusiastic supporter of his athletic pursuits, and watching him excel on the field fills me with such pride and joy. Whether it's cheering him on from the sidelines or witnessing his dedication during practices, these moments create a strong bond between us and remind us of the power of teamwork and perseverance. Our family is completed by our lovable Labradoodle dog named Graycie. She brings an abundance of joy and playfulness into our lives, and her wagging tail never fails to brighten our days. Additionally, we have a pet baby red eared slider turtle and a friendly toad who have become cherished members of our unique and diverse household. Our home is filled with laughter, warmth, and the pitter-patter of little paws and webbed feet. As a single mom, I have learned the art of balance, adaptability, and resilience. Juggling the responsibilities of parenthood and career has molded me into a determined and tenacious individual. I believe that with passion, dedication, and a supportive community, we can overcome any challenge that comes our way. I am immensely grateful to be part of this exceptional team, surrounded by talented individuals who inspire me to grow both personally and professionally. Each day presents new opportunities for learning and development, and I am thrilled to embark on this journey alongside all of you. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Let's continue to embrace the adventures that lie ahead, knowing that we have the strength to achieve greatness, both in the workplace and in our personal lives. Together, let's make a positive impact and create a brighter future." | |
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The National Children's Advocacy Center Training/Technical Assistance Project for Child Abuse Professionals is pleased to provide to Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) leadership and boards of directors the Legal Guidebook for Children's Advocacy Centers. This unique and accessible Guidebook focuses on the potential legal issues that can affect CACs if they are brought into criminal, civil, or family court litigations. Over the last 35 years, CACs have evolved significantly but so too has the justice system as it relates to child abuse cases. CACs need to ensure that they have access to trained, competent legal counsel who can represent them in legal matters.
Written by attorney Andrew Agatston who spent over 20 years in the CAC movement, this Guidebook is not a substitute for legal counsel but rather a "primer" in understanding the basic legal issues that a CAC may encounter, the tools a CAC needs to have in place to prepare for and protect itself from litigation, and ways to educate CAC leadership and the board on the importance of having competent legal counsel.
The Guidebook includes six sections:
• Section 1: Three Tools for All CACs
• Section 2: Setting the Stage: What Is in Your Building That May End Up in a Courtroom?
• Section 3: Creating a CAC Legal Toolkit
• Section 4: Responding to Demands for Information in Criminal and Civil Cases
• Section 5: Testifying in Court
• Section 6: Hiring an Attorney for the CAC – Making the Case to the Board of Directors
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We Know Disabilities Raise Abuse Risk. What Don't We Know? | Those of us in the field understand that children with disabilities are at higher risk for abuse and neglect than children without disabilities – but beyond this truism, what do we really know? What research has been done, and what are the gaps in the literature? | | | |
Discord (still) has a child safety issue | A new report has revealed alarming statistics about Discord's issues with child safety. Over the past six years, NBC News identified 35 cases of adults being prosecuted on charges of "kidnapping, grooming or sexual assault" that allegedly involved Discord communication. At least 15 of those have resulted in guilty pleas or verdicts, with "many others" still pending. | | | |
ISBE Releases New Resource Guide and FAQ Regarding Faith's Law | As we previously reported, under new School Code amendments made by Faith's Law aimed to address sexual abuse prevention and response in schools, school districts, charter and non-public schools... | | | |
Faith's Law requirements for hiring school employees to begin July 1 | The second piece of Faith's Law, a law aimed at preventing educator sexual misconduct in K-12 schools, is set to take effect Saturday - meaning Illinois school districts will have..... | | | |
This service is one step you can take to help remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos taken before you were 18. | | | |
Teen dies by suicide after family says he fell victim to 'sextortion' scam | John DeMay and Jennifer Buta say the growing social media scam led to the death of their 17-year-old son. | | | |
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CACI hosted Interviewing Beyond Sexual Abuse a two-day training that aims to enhance previously acquired forensic interviewing skills by addressing challenges related to reluctance and the variety of ways in which youth who have experienced or witnessed maltreatment present. By covering topics of chronic, physical and psychological abuse, witness to violence and technology-facilitated crimes, trainers will provide participants with information, tools and resources for which to approach these cases. Thank you to all who participated in the training. We would like thank Ali Alstott and Bev Tucker conducting the training and their continued work with the chapter.
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VOCA Fiscal Due Dates!
VOCA June Fiscal Expense PFR due Monday, July 10, 2023
VOCA Closeout Reports Due Wednesday, July 12, 2023
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VOCA: Moving forward please include Jayonna Craig (jayonna@cacionline.org), Kathy Murphy (kathy@cacionline.org) and myself (michael@cacionline.org) on all VOCA related emails.
DCFS: Moving forward please include Sarah Taylor (sarah@cacionline.org) and myself (michael@cacionline.org) on all DCFS related emails.
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At CACI, we believe children begin to heal the moment they are heard.
In Illinois, when there is an allegation of child sexual abuse or severe physical abuse, children are referred to a local CAC. There, an interview is conducted in a child-friendly environment by a trained professional who knows the right questions to ask in a way that does not re-traumatize the child. Members of the multidisciplinary team (medical and mental professionals, law enforcement, prosecution, child protective services and more) observe. Following the interview, the child, as well as family members, receive advocacy, medical and mental health referrals to help with the healing process.
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Call the 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline at 800-25-ABUSE
(800-252-2873) if you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.
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