The Pediatric Resource Center’s staff go about their important work quietly, and some community members may not fully understand just what this small organization accomplishes—or the necessity of outside funding that makes its existence possible.
The Center’s Work
The Pediatric Resource Center (PRC) was created to fulfill a need to add medical expertise and advocacy to the investigation of child abuse, according to executive director Linda Simkins. “Many types of child abuse, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, manifest themselves in physical findings. The medical community wanted to become involved in assisting with the investigation process by identifying and documenting the medical aspects of child abuse—patterns, marks, diseases, and health care deficits. Additionally, there was a great need for the medical community to add its expertise to the court process to assist in the protection of child victims,” she said.
Simkins said prior to the PRC, state caseworkers investigated complaints of child abuse. “Although they did well to identify the loop marks made by whippings with extension cords, burns made from curling irons, and various other injuries, many cases weren’t diagnosed and, therefore, not reported. Thus, children remained in abusive situations. The field of child abuse investigation needed the assistance of the medical community for complex issues, such as abdominal trauma, sexual abuse, and skull fractures.”
She said a team of two pediatricians from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Dr. Kay Saving and Dr. Andrew Morgan, responded to the need. “In 1993, after several years of planning with DCFS and other concerned community agencies and leaders, Dr. Saving opened the Pediatric Resource Center at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Department of Pediatrics.”
The program started as direct services only, Simkins said, but within the first year of operating, it expanded services to include community education, professional education, and consultation. “Presently, the Pediatric Resource Center operates a direct service program that provides medical and social services to approximately 350 children and their families per year from central Illinois.
This includes counties from Sangamon to Bureau and Rock Island to Champaign. The PRC serves children of both sexes, ranging from newborn to 18. We extend our services to males and females ages 18 to 21 who have special needs. The PRC provides services to children for all allegations of abuse and neglect. These services cover a vast range of incidents from burns to skull fractures, failure to thrive, sexual assault, pornography cases, and many additional situations found on the continuum of child maltreatment.”
In addition to direct services, she said the Pediatric Resource Center provides education, training, and consultation to professionals and lay people. “This part of the program includes formal lectures to groups both large and small, phone consultation on individual cases and issues, consultation on setting up various aspects of child abuse programs, and technical equipment assistance. The PRC chairs a statewide medical network of doctors and nurses who provide services to children suspected of being abused or neglected.”
PRC services also cover the abused child’s family. “Case coordinators spend time counseling and educating parents and caretakers about the special needs of abused children. These discussions include how to respond to a child’s fears, how to keep a child safe, how to work with the mandated authorities, among other things.”
Simkins said a typical PRC client is a Peoria County girl, age six, who’s referred by DCFS for possible sexual abuse by her mother’s boyfriend. However, there are both “yes” and “no” answers to the question of whether there’s a “typical” client. “Yes, children who’ve been similarly abused or neglected have some traits in common,” she said. “There are studies that have made observations and shown similarities and norms of situations. These studies help us investigate, diagnose, and treat these children. However, in the world of child abuse investigation, each case is unique, with its own set of circumstances. Each fact must be independently gathered for the individual case.
She described a specific instance that illustrates why no two cases are alike. “I worked on a case of a little girl who’d allegedly been sexually abused by her father. When Dr. Hiller and I interviewed the little girl, she described in detail how her mother had sexually abused her. This was different from the average situation and from the background information we’d been given. If we hadn’t been open-minded and asked open-ended questions, we probably wouldn’t have gotten this information. And if we’d stopped the interview at this point, thinking we had all of the information, we would’ve erred. We allowed her to continue telling us about what things hurt her, and she continued by describing how her father had sexually abused her. So this child’s truth was that she was abused by both her mother—at her mother’s home—and by her father when she visited him.”
While the number of reported abuse cases remain relatively steady, Simkins nonetheless said the current trends in child abuse are alarming. “We see a greater number of children incurring severe injuries; drugs and alcohol play a big part in abuse. Methamphetamine labs are springing up all over and creating a harmful environment for children, both through the chemicals and the behaviors of the caretakers taking the drugs.”
Simkins said there are many misconceptions about who and what the PRC is. “One is that we don’t serve teenagers. Another is that we see clients for sexual abuse only, which isn’t true; we also see children for physical abuse and neglect. In the area of sexual abuse, we have a physician who works with prosecutors on child pornography cases to help establish the age of the child in the image.”
A third misconceptions is that a person who suspects child abuse can call the PRC instead of DCFS. “This isn’t true. DCFS is the mandated authority for child abuse and neglect in Illinois. It’s very important for lay people and professionals to report their suspicions about child abuse to the DCFS Hotline at 1-800-252-2873,” she said.
Another aspect of PRC services many may be unfamiliar with is its education and consultation program. “This program is partially funded by the DCFS Children’s Justice Office and extends throughout Illinois. The PRC also serves as a resource center for information regarding child abuse. In April, the Center runs a Blue Ribbon Child Abuse Prevention Campaign. The board and staff have a speaker’s bureau that provides presentations on various aspects of child abuse,” Simkins said.
Not surprisingly, the PRC staff must work closely with other agencies in the counties they serve. “We place great importance on information-sharing, case discussion, and team planning,” she said. “It’s very important to work as a team in investigating child abuse, so the PRC staff has developed good working relationships with DCFS, police agencies, state’s attorney’s offices, and children’s advocacy centers in the 40 counties we serve. We attend multidisciplinary staffings on cases, prepare written reports, and communicate frequently by phone and in person with other professionals while working on a case.”
Funding the Mission
Simkins said all staff members at the PRC work for the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. “Each person was hired to work specifically at the PRC. It isn’t everyone who can work in the field of child abuse, so each staff person was chosen carefully. The PRC is blessed with very dedicated staff: four clerical people, three case coordinators, one nurse practitioner, two part-time staff physicians, a medical director, and an executive director.”
She said funding for the PRC comes through government contracts, fees for service, donations, and in-kind contributions from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. “The program’s four major contracts are from DCFS, Division of Child Protection; DCFS, Peoria Regional Office; the City of Peoria, Community Development Block Grant; and the Attorney General’s Office, Violent Crime Victims’ Assistance Program. The PRC collects fees for service from the Department of Public Aid and private insurance. Individuals aren’t required to pay out of pocket for PRC services unless there are uncovered lab expenses.”
Another invaluable financial resource is the community, she said. “The PRC is fortunate to have its mission and cause touch people’s hearts, so they assist us through contributions. We receive donations—which are crucial to operations—from individuals, groups, and businesses throughout central Illinois. It’s become more difficult in the last year to fund operations, as grants and contract funds have stayed at the same level, while expenses and services have increased. Recently, we’ve hired a much-needed full-time physician. It’ll be a challenge to fund this position, so we’re counting on the success of our fundraiser.”
That fundraiser, Spirit of Hope, is an annual event that takes place this year on September 16 at the Peoria RiverPlex. Cathy Williams, PRC Community Advisory Board member and chair of the 2005 fundraiser, described the event as a very casual, fun evening. “Dinner is provided by area restaurants, each contributing different selections so guests can circulate and sample different cuisine. Guests are encouraged to play games, which are set up around the perimeter of the gym. An all-time favorite is a card game called ‘Dump on Your Neighbor,’ with jousting running a close second. NASCAR racing and golf challenges are also favorite games. The top 10 winners of the games compete for a grand prize at the end of the evening. There’s also a silent auction filled with baskets and items donated by board members and local businesses; last year, we were lucky enough to feature some airline tickets in the silent auction and will do the same this year. The theme this year is sports-related, so wear your favorite team’s jersey or colors and help kick off the Spirit of Hope.”
With so many fundraisers for not-for-profits, Williams said the “spirit” in the Spirit of Hope makes it decidedly unique. “It’s a causal, relaxed evening. While the event doesn’t have a speaker about child abuse, the room fills with the awareness that the participants are helping abused children right here in our community. The PRC board members and the PRC staff are there to remind people of the important cause of the fundraiser: helping intervene in the lives of abused children. Written messages are placed around the room containing child abuse facts. Guests, volunteers, staff, and board members come and participate with their hearts for a great cause. All of the profits return to the Pediatric Resource Center to directly fund the program. The ‘spirit’ is definitely one of hope—hope that we can make a difference by intervening in children’s lives and stop the abuse.”
She said the event itself is unique in Peoria. “Former board member Tim Krueger and his wife, Michelle, designed the event when they chaired it in 2001. The room is filled with fun games for adults; food stations; a silent auction; music provided by a DJ; and bars with complimentary wine, beer, and soda. The brief program includes a drawing for the raffle prizes; comments about the Pediatric Resource Center; honoring Blue Ribbon Society Donors; and a play-off game for the grand prize, which is always entertaining. In the 10 years we’ve held the event, we’ve raised $403,969, thanks to the generous support of central Illinois individuals and businesses.”
Simkins said the best part about her job is making a positive impact in a child’s life. “The most challenging, however, is when you have evidence that a child is being abused but not enough proof to intervene. It’s difficult to persevere under these circumstances.”
Williams said what sustains her as a PRC board member is having the opportunity to work with the PRC staff and the other 17 board members. “Each member is always willing to help and lend a hand. The most difficult part is getting the word out regarding what the PRC does and its importance.”
The Spirit of Hope fundraiser takes place September 16 at the RiverPlex. Tickets cost $50 per person, which includes food and beverages. For more information, call 624-9598. TPW