Community leaders, law
enforcement officials and staff from the Bristol County Office of the
District Attorney gathered at 58 Arch Street in the City's South End to
celebrate the opening of a new home of the Children's
Advocacy Center (CAC) of Bristol County on October 18, 2012. The
facility, which was totally rehabbed by property owners, houses staff with
the collective expertise to participate in the investigation of reported
allegation of sexual abuse, witness to violence and abuse to children as
well as developmentally delayed adults in Bristol County. "This is
the place that is the initial point of contact...to speak of their
victimization and, most importantly, where they begin the healing
process," said CAC executive director Michelle Loranger. Teams of
professionals come together to investigate allegations of abuse and assist
families in the healing process there after. Forensic interviews, health
services and resources assistance are ways in which the CAC establishes
connections with families to assist them in their time of need. The center
benefits from information provided by many partner and affiliated agencies
in the field of child welfare. This information assists in the evaluation
of community needs which can help with the development of programs aimed
at aiding child victims of abuse. The CAC is also committed to the ongoing
education and development of prevention programs in Bristol County. Click
here for the Herald News article and here
for the Standard-Times article. Click
here for a 22-minute 
video of the event. Click
here to go to the CAC Facebook page. For more information,
contact Development Manager Vangy
Auclair at 508-674-6111.
|
|
(Top row, left) Pamela
MacLeod-Lima of the Fall
River/New Bedford Women's Center is greeted by Fall River City Council
President Linda Pereira. (Top row, center) Bristol
County District Attorney Sam Sutter Chats with Massachusetts Senator
Michael Rodrigues. (Top row, right) Visitors look over a copy of the
check for $187,000 that the Commonwealth funded to launch the new facility
in 2007. (Middle row, left and right) Pediatric and adult Sexual Assault
Nurse Examiner (SANE)
Ann Parsons Marchant, RN, MS, introduces Assistant District Attorney Casey
Smith, left, Dorothy Falcone, and Chief of the Special Victims Unit of the
Bristol County District Attorney's Office Silvia Rudman in the children's
health center. (Bottom row) Michelle Loranger thanks all those who helped
to make the new center a reality, including property owners Tom Gosselin
and Rick Almeida before District Attorney Sutter, Mayor Flanagan and Board
Chair Leslie Knowles join her in cutting the ribbon.
|
