St. Luke’s Child Protection Center awarded grant

August 5, 2009 
 
St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation was recently awarded a five-year contract for St. Luke’s Child Protection Center (CPC) from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). The CPC will receive $249,279 for fiscal year 2009-2010.

The IDPH grant will fund the salaries and benefits for three forensic interviewers and one family advocate, as well as continuing education costs for CPC professional staff.

“This grant funding is integral to our ability to care for and protect children,” said Sue Tesdahl, director of St. Luke’s CPC. “Children who have been abused are often afraid to talk about their abuse, either because they have been threatened by the abuser or because they think the abuse is their fault. At the CPC, children who have been suspected victims of child abuse receive a medical exam and forensic interview and both are used as evidence to prosecute the perpetrator.”

“St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation is proud to help support the valuable and meaningful work of the Child Protection Center, which serves children and families in 50 Iowa counties,” said Shannon Duval, president of the St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation. “The CPC is the first step in the healing process for both the child and the family.”

Tesdahl said the forensic interview is led by an interviewer and is observed through a two-way mirror by a law enforcement investigator and/or a child protective assessment worker. In 2008, the CPC performed 1,000 forensic interviews.

“All interviews are recorded in an effort to avoid multiple interviews for the child and to be used by law enforcement and the Department of Human Services (DHS) in planning for the best interests of the child,” said Tesdahl. “The forensic interview is a valuable piece of evidence and it can be used to prevent the child from having to testify about their trauma in court.”

In 2008, 1,162 children were served by St. Luke’s Child Protection Center.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sarah Corizzo, St. Luke’s Hospital, 319/369-8372 or 319/560-2385.