GREENFIELD — “The hope, the healing, and — for those abusers we move forward on — justice,” is what District Attorney David E. Sullivan he said the new Child Advocacy Center in Greenfield is about.
The center, in a former caretaker’s house in Green River Cemetery on Wisdom Way, officially opened for regular operations in February, but the grand opening ceremony was held Friday afternoon.
The new facility brings multi-disciplinary teams together to streamline the process of gathering information for possible prosecution of child abuse. This includes conducting potentially traumatic interviews with a child in a comfortable atmosphere, one time per victim instead of over multiple visits.
“This has been a very long haul. It’s a great day for us,” said Bill Benson, president of the center’s board. “We started over two years ago, and if you went through the house, it looks really good, but if you’d seen it in its original condition, you wouldn’t believe what we’ve done.”
Passing through the pale green door, visitors were met with bright murals painted on the wall by local artists and a sitting room filled with toys and games.
Another room, stocked with comfy chairs and couches, is designed to make the interview process as comfortable as possible for the suspected abuse victims, while a camera in the ceiling sends a video feed to a separate room, where law enforcement, social workers and medical professionals can monitor the session.
Benson noted the opening was bittersweet in light of existence and prevalence of the issue it aims to address, but absolutely crucial to doing so: 229 children were served by the Hampshire Child Advocacy Center and the Northwestern District Attorney’s Greenfield office in 2015, according to the office’s annual report.
Sullivan said more than 5,000 abuse complaints are made annually between Hampshire and Franklin counties and the North Quabbin region. Of those, about 600 are serious enough to be referred for further investigation or prosecution.
Sullivan lauded the various law enforcement, criminal justice, social services, hospital and state Department of Children and Families personnel who work daily to address child abuse, as well as the numerous businesses and individuals who donated time, money or supplies to the renovation effort.
“People coming together because they care about children, that’s what built this house. It wasn’t just nails, it wasn’t just paint,” Sullivan said. “They were really part of magic of getting this house off the ground, so any child can come here, feel safe in this friendly location and be able to tell their story. That’s the first step forward.”
Sullivan said much of the work was carried out by inmates from the Franklin County House of Corrections work program.
“It’s kind of a nice dynamic that my guys who are paying a debt to society would come up here and be involved in a project that helps young victims hopefully become whole and deal with whatever trauma brought them here,” said Sheriff Christopher Donelan. “I know they appreciated the work and knew exactly what they were doing, so that makes it even better as far as giving back to the community.”
“This house is going to be about more than interviewing kids,” Sullivan said. “It’s going to be about helping families, helping kids heal and move forward, and the mission is to prevent … and end child abuse in Hampshire and Franklin counties and the North Quabbin region.”
You can reach Tom Relihan at: trelihan@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 264.