Training & Events Calendar

The York Child Advocacy Center is excited to announce, in partnership with Epworth Village, that it will be holding a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house of the center on Thursday, May 15. The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 4:00, with an open house and tours immediately following from 4:30-6:00 p.m. The Child Advocacy Center, which is based in Lincoln, has provided services to child victims of abuse and neglect and their non-offending family members in 17 counties in Southeastern Nebraska for 15 years.

The York satellite office, located on the Epworth Village campus, opened its doors for business on January 16, 2014. The York satellite office serves children and families from Polk, York, Fillmore, and Thayer counties. “Epworth Village is very excited to work in partnership with the Child Advocacy Center in bringing these important services to the York community. Through this partnership, Epworth Village is better able to deliver on its mission of bringing ‘Hope and Healing’ for children and families across Nebraska,” said Patrick Garcia, President/CEO of Epworth Village.

The Child Advocacy Center provides forensic interviews and ongoing advocacy and support for children who are suspected of having been victims of abuse. Nebraska State Statute 28-728 requires that children ages 3-18 who have been victims of sexual abuse or serious physical abuse or neglect, have witnessed a violent crime, have been in a drug-endangered environment, or have been recovered from a kidnapping or an attempted kidnapping be interviewed by a trained professional in a child advocacy center setting.

With the only Child Advocacy Center location in Lincoln, children and families in the neighboring communities had to make the trip to Lincoln to be interviewed and receive advocacy services. A satellite office in York not only reduces the drive time for children and families, law enforcement, and Department of Health and Human Services workers in the western part of the Child Advocacy Center’s service area but it also reduces stress and anxiety for children and families, which is so important to families in crisis situations.

According to Lynn Ayers, Director of the Child Advocacy Center, “We just need to do what is best for kids and having services closer to home is crucial for increased utilization. It is also important that child victims of abuse and neglect be interviewed by professionals with advanced training who recognize the unique needs of children and appreciate the emerging legal issues in the field of forensic interviewing.”