History

In 1985 Bud Cramer, a District Attorney in Alabama organized an effort to create a better way to help young victims of sexual abuse. At the time, most Social Service Agencies and Law Enforcement were not working together. That caused added emotional stress, multiple child interviews, and frightening experiences for child victims. The Child Advocacy Center model that was developed pulls together law enforcement, child protective services, medical, and mental health workers into one multidisciplinary team that works for the best interests of the child.

In 1992, The Buchanan County Sexual Assault Task force began to develop the first Child Advocacy Center in Missouri in St. Joseph. Members of this task force included the Buchanan County Prosecutor, Sheriff, Police, St. Joseph School district, Probation & Parole, Heartland Hospital, the Safety Council, Juvenile Office, YWCA, Children's Division, mental health professionals and others. In January 1993, work began on the interview room in the basement of the Noyes Home. The Carpenters' Union, Electrical Union, Optimist and Rotary Clubs and Payless Cashways donated goods and labor to complete the Interview Room. We began doing forensic interviews for abused children in St. Joseph. In 1995, Representative Glenda Kelly obtained a $50,000 grant to expand our space at The Noyes Home and buy equipment. The following year we hired an interview coordinator and a part time counselor. We also did our first out of county interview. At that time our name was The St. Joseph Children's Interview Center.

We became a corporation in 2000 and obtained non-profit status in 2001. We changed our name to the Northwest Missouri Children's Advocacy Center. In 2006 we moved to our current location at 1807 N. Woodbine Rd.. We now have an Executive Director, Interview Coordinator, full time Counselor, contract Forensic Interviewer, and a contract Transcriptionist.

In 1996, we conducted 102 forensic interviews. In 2008, we conducted 225 forensic interviews for 9 counties in Northwest Missouri. From 2004 through 2008, we have interviewed 1,160 children and provided free counseling to 2,780 children who are victims of child abuse.