Schenectady County Child Advocacy Center
The Schenectady County Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team exists to protect and serve child victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect. The primary purposes are to minimize the trauma experienced by the child, to induce cooperative communication between agencies, to expedite joint investigations between Law Enforcement and Child Protective Services and to provide services which may be needed by the child and family.
The Team is made up of representatives from law enforcement, the medical community, child advocates, and county social services agencies. Housed in one central location, the center is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that is vital to preventing further trauma to children as they are involved in the process surrounding a case proceeding.
About the Center
The child and non-offending family members are seen at the Schenectady County Child Advocacy Center, a child-friendly space located at 388 Broadway in Schenectady. Forensic Interviews are provided by trained staff members and are conducted in a manner that is fair, accurate, non-leading and which focuses on the needs of the child. All efforts are made to reduce further trauma to a child victim, while preserving any evidence of a crime.
The center provides a one-stop facility where children who are victims of sexual abuse and neglect can receive specialized services and where law enforcement officials can interview them for legal information. The Center has interview rooms, a reception room and offices for law enforcement agencies and victim advocates to use for families and child victims. The interview rooms are soundproof and equipped with microphones and monitors. Other team members can observe interviews without being present in the room with the child and still make sure proper questions are covered. The CAC now contains an examination room, where specially trained nurses can conduct medical examinations of children for any potential evidence in an investigation, as well as treat the overall well-being of a child.
District Attorney Robert Carney established Schenectady County's Child Advocacy Center (CAC) in 2008. State grants were sought and obtained by the DA's Office and the CAC was formed. The state has continued to provide grant support annually to keep the center operational and innovative. The CAC attained National Accreditation through the National Children's Alliance in 2008 and again in 2015.
The multidisciplinary team consists of representatives from law enforcement, the medical community, child advocates, county social services and other groups who work together to investigate and prosecute abuse crimes against children and to provide support services to the victims.
The team provides consultation and programs to schools and community agencies regarding child sexual and physical abuse. Members of the team provide Mandated Reporter training in the community as well.
“The Schenectady County Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team is dedicated to ensuring comprehensive investigation, prosecution and service provision to child abuse victims and their families in a manner that minimizes further trauma.”
If you suspect that a child is being abused, please call 1 (800) 342-3720 to make a report to the Statewide Central Registry (SCR) for Child Abuse, and/or make a report to police in the county at (518) 630-0911. If it is an emergency, please call 911.
Staff:
Susan P. Casey, Director
Mrs. Casey has joined the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office as the Director of the Schenectady Child Advocacy Center. Her legal career has been child-focused and she brings special experience to the position. She served as an Assistant District Attorney for Schenectady County from 2001 – 2005 following two years of private practice in Glens Falls. Just prior to joining the office, Casey had served as an Attorney for the Child with the Schenectady County Panel of Attorneys for Children for nine years. She graduated cum laude from Union College in 1996 with a major in English and a minor in Art History. Casey earned her JD from Albany Law School in 1999.
Julia Reyes, MDT Case Coordinator
Julia Reyes is the Multi-Disciplinary Team Case Coordinator and facilitates all case reviews, conferences, and meetings that occur within the team and occasionally outside agencies, and works daily with the many disciplines, and provides support to the other CAC staff.
Amanda Weekes, Victim Services Specialist
Amanda Weekes is a Victim Services Specialist advocating and helping in Special Victim Unit cases for the DA’s Office since 2018. She has been with the CAC since 2019.
