Putting Kids First golf tournament will be held Oct. 12th, at the Elk City Golf and Country Club. The event’s proceeds will go to the “Safety, Trauma, Advocacy, Response, Team” (S.T.A.R.T.) of the Child Advocacy Center located in Sayre. The CDC serves Beckham and Roger Mills Counties, and last year there were 134 kids served by the non-profit organization.
Elk City Police Department’s Captain John Cook serves as the director and Lindsay Marks, R.N., is the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE). Others on the team include the Elk City Police Department, Sayre Police Department, Beckham County Sheriff’s Department, Roger Mill’s County Sheriff, Department of Human Services, Gina Webb represents the District Attorney’s office, and a mental health professional. All of these agencies work together to help children who have been physically or sexually abused. The organization is funded by grant money and their annual fundraiser.
“The Children’s Advocacy Centers are community-based, child-friendly, and trauma-informed organizations that coordinate a multidisciplinary response to children maltreatment allegations. They deliver a best practice model that brings together, often in one location, child protective services, investigators, law enforcement, forensic interviewers, prosecutor, family advocates, and medical and mental health professionals to provide a coordinated, comprehensive response to victims and their caregivers,” Cook explained.
There are approximately 14 locations in the state of Oklahoma that do pediatric SANE exams. There are only 85 nurses in the state that do SANE exams. Most of those do adult exams, and most are located in the Okla. City metro and Tulsa areas.
The services for the children who are served by the CDC are completely free. According to Marks, they are never charged for anything. This includes any counseling or after care.
“CDC’s have found success providing safe, neutral environment for children and their families where the child’s well-being is a priority. At the CDC, children can speak to a forensic interviewer who is trained to understand child development, how to manage bias, and is knowledgeable in addressing secondary trauma and other best practices for interviewing children. This multidisciplinary team approach results in better outcomes for child abuse,” Cook continued.
When a child comes into the CDC, they are interviewed and will get an exam. Marks has been specifically trained to do such an exam, and to collect any evidence that may be needed to prosecute an offender.
“The team meets monthly to discuss any cases. We have the staff there to talk about a case and decide, as a team, whether there is anything extra that a child may need. We discuss whether there is anything that we could do differently, or whether there are any services we need to help them,” Marks said.
She continued to say that the purpose of the initial interview is so the child just has to tell their story one time. When he/she goes to the CDC, everything is recorded, as far as the interview. He/she can tell his story in a safe space, one time, and he/she doesn’t have to keep recounting it. That causes additional trauma every time they must retell it. Once he/she is done with his/her interview and his/her exam, then the child can start healing. The CDC has a list of referrals services that they can send the child to and help him/her with trauma.
There are very few SANE trained nurses in the state that can do the exams. Marks is the only on in the surrounding area that can do the exams. She is completing the training for adult exams. She said that there are not enough nurses who are qualified to conduct the exam.
The CDC is an important part of protecting children. The funds that will be raised through the golf tournament will be put to good use. Most of the team members are volunteers or paid by their professional jobs, but there are other expenses that keep the center running.
The tournament will be $500 per team and a total of 36 teams. The cost includes mulligans and string 10’. Cook is also taking donations and sponsorships. A $1000 donation is considered a Gold Sponsor, a $500 donation is considered a Silver Sponsor, a Bronze Sponsor is for at $150 donation, and a vendor sponsor is a $100 donation.
Send donations to John Cook, Elk City Police, P.O. Box 2459, Elk City, OK, 73648. The organization is a 501(C)(3), nonprofit.
