2004 Year in Review

April House Fundraiser planned

Johanna Hager, director of April House, sitting with new "anatomically correct dolls" for young victims of sexual assault.

April House, a Child Advocacy Agency, in Morrison

Fulton Police Officer Jim Miller is accepting donations for the auction (silent and live) from individuals and businesses. Gift Certificates, tickets and many other items will be auctioned including a 5’ x 6’ playhouse, signed Mallards shirt, roundtrip tickets to Orlando, St. Louis Cardinal tickets, and many affordable gift baskets. Donations help underwrite the cost of the event and provide a large of portion of the income from the event.

Many citizens are unfamiliar with what April House is and what it does for Whiteside County. April House is a Child Advocacy Center (CAC). Johanna Hager is the executive director and she has a Masters Degrees in marriage, family, and child therapy. Her job and the purpose of April House is “to provide a comfortable and neutral environment for children who have allegedly been abused (including sexual abuse) or neglected and their non-offending family members or caretakers”. Children must be interviewed at their level so it is important to have a specially trained person that understands child development.

According to Ms Hager the major parts of her job are:
1.) Help coordinate the investigative team so the number of times the child has to be interviewed is less;
2.) Offer a trained interviewer to talk with the child according to their age and ability. To find out if something has happened or not and to get the child to speak in their own works;
3.) Evaluate and offer community resources for the child and non-offending family members;
4.) Community education – talk to groups about body safety and child abuse prevention;
5.) Provide professional training and find funding for professional persons in Whiteside County.

Ms Hager works with the police departments, DCFS and the YWCA Sauk Valley Sex Assault Program (formerly COVE) and when a child has alleged to have been physically abused or seriously neglected they are referred to April House. The child and non-offending family members are brought to April House just north of the Whiteside County Courthouse instead of being interviewed at the police departments by untrained persons. The children are greeted with a small table of donated stuffed animals and each child gets their pick at the interview. There is a waiting room for family member to watch television or children to play with toys while the victim is brought into the simple interview room with two large chairs, a drawing board, and two video cameras. Police officers, a member of the State’s Attorneys office, and any other guests watch a television in the next room, as the interview is audio and video taped. Juice, pop, and individually wrapped treats are given to the children and family members. Recently April House has gotten new equipment from Crime Stopper funding including a new DVD recorder, television, VCR, and cassettes.

Children under 6 have trouble verbalizing their abuse and want to physically show on their own bodies so recently Ms Hager purchased new tools to help them. Eight anatomically correct dolls can be introduced to these young victims after they disclose the sexual abuse and understand what the dolls represent. She has 2 adults, 2 teens, 2 children, and 2 babies purchased with Crime Stopper money.

Originally started in August 2002, April House averages about 7 alleged victims every month and in approximately 25% of the cases no abuse is found. The first year 76 interviews were completed and 89 in the second. So far 43 have been interviewed since April 1, 2004 when it became an independent center. Mentally challenged adults who have the function of a child can also be interviewed through April House.

April House is partially funded by grants from the State of Illinois and Ms Hager is an employee of the Whiteside County Health Department. The Children’s advocacy Advisor Board oversees April House and is made up of a representative of every law enforcement group, the medical community, mental health centers, and members of the community. The board contracts to the Health Department to run the CAC.

April House has accepted donations from Crime Stoppers, the Sheriff’s Department, DARE, Royal Neighbors, schools, and community organizations. The Center only exists through grants and local community support. The October fundraiser helps keep April House open as a safe haven for the youngest victims of Whiteside County.

by Barb Benson, theCity1.com
October 18, 2004