Lake County Gazette

Last week, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center (LCCAC) announced the receipt of $1 million in state funding facilitated by State Senator Julie Morrison. The funding will support the implementation and integration of a medical forensic clinic in partnership with Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS).

Additionally, last Friday, the new LCCAC medical clinic was approved under the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act (SASETA) as a Pediatric Health Care Facility.

The new medical unit within the LCCAC will provide immediate medical care for children brought to the center following allegations of abuse. The creation of this clinic has been a long-term goal since its construction in 2020.

There are 41 children advocacy centers throughout Illinois. In Lake County, the LCCAC houses a multidisciplinary team (MDT) consisting of prosecutors, law enforcement officers, DCFS staff, mental health therapists, victim advocates, forensic interviewers, and medical personnel who collaborate to interview and treat child victims. If a criminal case is filed by prosecutors, LCCAC Advocate staff continue assisting the child and their family through the court process.

The new clinic will incorporate RFUMS medical students and personnel into the MDT process and allow children to be medically examined at the LCCAC by experienced healthcare professionals. This development aims to eliminate delays caused by families or friends taking children to outside hospitals.

“This is a great day for the children of Lake County. This new and innovative partnership will better protect children and serve families. For the last two years, we have been working closely with Rosalind Franklin University to build this critical bridge between our fantastic MDT model and a critical need: onsite medical examination of children,” said State’s Attorney Rinehart. “Now our prosecutors and police will secure evidence faster, and the child will be saved from traveling to distant hospitals or waiting for appropriate personnel at nearby hospitals.”

“This initiative is not just about education and training – it’s about building a safer, more supportive community. It’s about standing up for survivors and giving them care and respect they deserve,” stated State Senator Julie Morrison.

Rosalind Franklin University Vice President of Clinical Care Services Jeff Espina remarked, “Our work in the RFU Children’s Advocacy Center Medical Clinic alongside our interprofessional approach with the LCCAC team provides a better alternative for survivors requiring essential medical examinations.”

Executive Director of LCCAC Carrie Flanigan added, “Together with Rosalind Franklin University we shared our vision with Senator Julie Morrison. Thanks to her understanding of children's advocacy centers' importance, children in Lake County now have access to crucial care during traumatic times.”

In 2023 alone, LCCAC conducted approximately 790 forensic interviews—590 were sexual assaults but only 120 received sexual assault exams. Medical evaluations are pivotal in successful criminal cases; ensuring all children receive consistent evidence-based forensic interviews remains paramount.