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Detailed description of project (including description of need, scope of work, methodology, who benefits, number of beneficiaries, other project partners, etc.): The Children's Advocacy Center of Paris (CAC) is a private non-profit 501 c 3 orqanization The purpose of a CAC is to reduce the trauma faced bv children and their non-offendinq familv members by usinq a multidisciplinary team approach to investiqations. This team is made up of representatives from the CAC the Countv/District Attornev's Office, local law enforcement agencies and Child Protective Services Children involved in investiqations of abuse are now brought to one location a large two-story house designed to be a neutral, child-friendly place for families to come durina the investiqation process Representatives from each aqencv involved meet at this location to collaborate on each case Child victims are interviewed bv one person a forensic interviewer, trained to talk with children about these situations. A forensic interviewer is trained to elicit information from children in a non-leading non threatenina manner that is leqally defensible and will stand up in court The interview is viewed bv the other professionals involved through a closed-circuit camera system Every effort is made to ensure that all information is obtained in one interview so that the child does not have to repeat details of abuse over and over aqain CAC staff members then provide follow up services for families and are available to assist them as their case makes its way through the criminal iustice svstem. Established in 1999 the CAC has served 2,268 children and their non-offendinq family members. The averaqe number of children served per year is 235 Approximately 72% of all children served bv the Center live in Lamar County and 60% of atl the children served live in the City of Paris. Since its inception, the CAC has continued to expand its services to better meet the needs of child victims and their non-offendinq familv members The Center was awarded a Meadows Grant in 2003 which allowed the qurchase of a house next to the original facility This facility currently houses the onsite medical component the Rainbow Rooms and provides an alternate interview room. The CAC currentlv provides onsite sexual assault exams bv hiqhly trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs). The Rainbow Room is an emerqency resource room for children involved in CPS investiaations and for children beinq placed in foster care Other services include but are not limited to: court accompaniment assistance with Crime Victim's Compensation claims and mental health referrals. This vear a mental health component was added to our services to include an on-site counselor that the Center uses for referrals of victims and their non-offendinq familv members. City of Paris 0 0 0 66 2 Revised 6/10/08