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Detailed description of project (including description of need, scope of work, methodology, who benefits, number <br />of beneficiaries, ot6er project partners, etc.): _The Children's Advocacv Center of Paris (CAC) is a <br />private non-profit 501 c3 orQanization. The nuripose of a CAC is to reduce the trauma faoed bv <br />children and their non-offending familv members bv using a multidiscinlinarv team aparoach to <br />mvestipatons. This team is made up of reoresentatives from the CAC the County/District <br />Attomev's Office, local law enforoement aaencies and Child Protective Servioes Children involved <br />in investi-gations of abuse are now brouaht to one location a lame twastqrv house desianed to be a <br />neutral, chtld-fnendiv olace for families to oome durina the investigat_prooess Representatives <br />from each agencv mvolved meet at this location to collaborate on each case Child victims are <br />mterviewed bv one person, a forensic interviewer, trained to talk with children about these <br />situations. A forensic interviewer is trained to elicit information from children in a non-feadin non- <br />threatening manner that is leaallv defensible and will stand un in courtThe interview is viewed bv <br />the other orofessionals involved throuah a closed-circuit camera system Everv effort is made to <br />ensure that all informatron is obtained in one interview so that the child does not have to re eat <br />details of abuse over and over again. CAC staff inembers then Drovide follow un services for <br />families and are available to assist them as their case makes its wav throuah the criminal iustice <br />svstem. Established in 1999, the CAC has served 2,635 children and their non-offendina familv <br />members. The averaae number of children served ner vear is 207 Anproximatelv 79% of all <br />children served bv the Center live in Lamar Countv and 59% of all the children served live in the <br />Cftv of Pans. <br />Since its inceotion, the CAC has oontinued to exaand its services to better meet the needs of child <br />victims and their non-offendinQ familv members The CAC currentlv Drovides onsite sexual assault <br />exams bv hiQhlv tramed Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) The Rainbow Room is an <br />emerqencv resource room for children involved in CPS investigations and for children beinq Placed <br />in foster care Other services include but are not limited to: court accom animerrt assistance with <br />Crime Victim's Comnensation claims and mental health referrals The CAC has also established a <br />Druq Endangered Children (DEC) aroqram to work with children who suffer ahvsical or emotional <br />nsk as a_ result of illegal druq use manufacturinq cultivation or distribution <br />n-_.z_,.~ cnnino <br />