By Cynthia Grau

PONTIAC – While there are still funding questions for human services all across the state, the Children’s Advocacy Center in Pontiac recently received a grant from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to expand services.

CAC Director Judy Brucker said the grant totals $214,000, which is $169,000 more than the CAC has previously received. Brucker explained that this grant will bring services to the Pontiac office that had been performed in McLean County.

“The funding for so many services, although they’re required by statute, is always precarious, and our center in Livingston County has always relied on grants,” Brucker said. “We have been able to acquire a new grant that is going to allow us to expand our therapy services to allow them on-site at the Livingston CAC for the families we are serving there.”

Brucker said the grant will allow the CAC to upgrade equipment and hire a full-time therapist and an additional advocate. That will help handle the case load of 350 to 450 children referred to them each year by police and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

For more information, the full interview with Brucker can be found here.

Cynthia Grau can be reached at [email protected].