Amy Center Satellite Office Opens In Nashville
Amy Center Satellite Office Opens In Nashville
The Amy Schulz Child Advocacy Center was founded in 1990 by Dennis Schulz in memory of his daughter Amy. Amy was abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered.
Since then, the center has provided children who are victims of abuse, both physical and sexual services that include case management, counseling and a place to report their abuse.
The Amy Center provides services critical to law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys by conducting professional forensic interviews and continued case management throughout court proceedings.
The Amy Center has been serving Washington County as well as several others, but now, “I am proud that Washington County was chosen for the location of the center’s first satellite office,” said Washington County Sheriff and Amy Center board member Danny Bradac.
The Amy Center held an open house on Tuesday, November 28, to introduce themselves to Nashville. The satellite office was opened on West St. Louis Street, just two doors east of The Nashville News.
The office has a comfortable interview room where children who are referred to the center, normally through law enforcement or DCFS.
There is a waiting room for family members or guardians, and another room where cameras from the interview room feed so that case workers or investigators can watch the interviews happen.
Members of the staff of the Amy Schulz Child Advocacy Center include, FRONT, Director Ladonna Richards and Assistant Director/Interviewer Kim Barbee-Tucker. BACK, Board Member Jessica Palazzolo, Advocate Lexi Scott, prevention educator Whitney Verdeyen, advocate Wendi Zobrist and manager/intake coordinator Brandi McCain.
The office will not be staffed full time, at least for now. Instead, it will operate on as-needed basis, and will open when it is needed.
“It is unfortunate that there are those who need the service of an organization such as The Amy Center. And even though the function of the center is not a pleasant one, I can assure that those involved with the center are here to help in anyway possible,” said Bradac. “The service will be performed in a professional and courteous manner.”
The center is a non-profit and functions on donations, grants, fund raisers, and limited state funding.
“I am proud to be part of The Amy Center,” Bradac stated, “and hope to get more support from residents here.”
For more information on The Amy Center, visit their website at www.amycenter.mvn.net. They can be reached by phone at (618) 244-2100, or by email at amycenter90@hotmail.com
