After recently being appointed Executive Director of the Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center, Jonathan Munoz made an appearance this week with Laura Williams on 1490 WDAN’s Community Connection program. Munoz spoke about always having an interest in working with children, as well as an interest in law enforcement. And he found the perfect combination at the advocacy center; beginning as a family advocate, and now handling the executive director position.
Munoz told Laura Williams that they serve the county, funded by grants and fundraisers; to not only work with law enforcement when a child may be a victim of any kind of abuse; but to also help families find the right kind of counseling and mental health services. And it’s important to remember that plenty of resources are right here in Vermilion County.
AUDIO: We conduct the forensic interviewing, and then we also provide the wrap around services in our advocacy department; so we can refer them to mental health, and provide them with local resources. Because a lot of families still don’t know there’s a ton of resources here in Vermilion County for them. They don’t have to go all the way to Champaign or across the state line to Indiana. There’s a ton of resources here.
Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center Executive Director Jonathan Munoz.
Munoz says the center also works with Fair Hope Ministry for victims whose families may need clothing. Munoz also says that when advocacy center personnel or law enforcement are conducting an interview with a child, and find out what may have happened, it’s very important to put the child at ease by asking questions about them.
AUDIO: We always ask them, “Okay, tell me a little bit about your hobbies. Tell me a little bit about yourself. What’s your secret? What’s your secret talent?” And that just gives them more of that trust in us, and also with law enforcement and DCFS when they ask those questions. And you can just see that their whole demeanor just changes, they just want to tell you everything about them. And that’s just an amazing part of the advocacy department.
The advocacy center also works with Court Appointed Special Advocates, CASA, to offer support for children that might have to go to court. Therapy dogs can play a big role as well. A lot of programs and fundraisers are scheduled for 2024, including a conference on child abuse at Danville Area Community College, to be scheduled sometime in April.
The Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center is run by a 12 person board, with States Attorney Jacqueline Lacy serving as chairperson. You can contact the center by calling 217-806-4800, or going to https://www.vercounty.org/child-advocacy/
To hear all of Laura Williams’ interview with Jonathan Munoz, please go to https://vermilioncountyfirst.com/the-community-connection/
