Edmondson Telford Center for Children

Mission Statement: It is our mission to reduce trauma to child victims and their caregivers by providing forensic interviews and medical examinations in a safe, child friendly environment that also provides victim advocacy services and coordinates their services with agencies involved in their investigation while educating the community at large. Vision Statement: It is our vision that all child victims and their caregivers will receive the best support and services possible while being in a community that is educated on child abuse and equipped to provide the best services possible. The ETCAC was established as a nonprofit organization in May 1997 to provide support to suspected child victims of abuse in Hall and Dawson Counties as part of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit. Its establishment was catalyzed by the death of Austin Sparks, a local toddler who had been brutally beaten and suffered ongoing abuse despite multiple social service referrals that were ultimately ignored. Austin’s death sparked community outrage and a “window of opportunity” for change opened when local organizations dedicated to supporting victims of child abuse led the fundraising efforts and political leaders were compelled to act on their behalf. The ETCAC is rooted in the National Child Advocacy Center model and is a fully accredited member of both Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia (CACGA) and National Children’s Alliance (NCA). By successfully applying the CAC model, the ETCAC has been able to operate a streamlined, yet child friendly, process for child abuse investigations that prevents child re-victimization and increases the accuracy of the evidence obtained from children. Additional benefits of using this model includes the facilitation of information exchange between agencies working toward prosecution of child abuse cases, the reduced likelihood of cases being overlooked, a child friendly setting for suspected victims, and increased rates of successful prosecutions where alleged offenders are held accountable for their actions.

The ETCAC provides a myriad of services to child victims and their families which include but are not limited to: Videotaped forensic interviews; Forensic medical exams; Crisis intervention, resource materials, emotional support and advocacy; and Coordinated interdisciplinary case review by a team of professionals, such as law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors, medical and mental health professionals, school personnel, victim’s assistance staff, and advocates. The ETCAC provides comfort kits to children which can include any of the following, or other items deemed necessary: a new set of pj's, jacket/hoodie, book/journal, stuffed animal, and a self-care bag (toiletries), all in a rolling case/book bag/or duffle bag. The ETCAC also provides training for team partners and community education for identifying and responding to child abuse.