Children's Center moving

NEVADA, Mo. -- The growth of a relatively new Nevada institution is forcing another to move. Crowder College needs to move into the space the Children's Center branch now occupies.

Juvenile Officer Jennifer Thomas said she was grateful for the use of the space while it lasted.

"This is something we knew from the get-go wasn't going to be a permanent place," Thomas said. "Crowder is growing by leaps and bounds, and they were generous to let us use the space out there and we're very grateful for it."

The Children's Center serves a six-county area -- Barton, Bates, Cedar, Dade, St. Clair and Vernon counties. The Nevada office, which opened in 2004, is a branch of the Joplin Children's Center, which serves a larger area. The center offers a safe, comfortable and secure environment in which trained interviewers can get to the bottom of abuse cases through interviews and, if necessary, physical examinations.

Thomas said she thought the move to a new location at 119 S. Main would be good for the center because of the proximity to the courthouse.

"One thing we were excited about is because it's walking distance to our offices, law enforcement offices, the sheriff's department -- at least until it moves, and family services," Thomas said.

Thomas thought it might be easier to get families into the Children's Center because it was a more central location.

"I know it seems strange, but there seems to be a problem with some people getting out there," Thomas said. "I think they will have a lot less hesitation to come downtown."

The interview room in the new location will have some new equipment. The interviewer has an earpiece that allows other investigators to cue the interviewer with questions without interrupting the interview. In the past the other investigators would be located in a room that shared a wall with the interview room, which would be equipped with a one-way mirror so the other investigators could see the interview in progress. The team members who interview children have been trained to make sure the interviews are neutral, fact-finding and child friendly.

"The one-way mirror in the interview room will change to a closed circuit TV system," Thomas said. "That will help with the sound transfer because we can be in a room distant from the interview room so the kid doesn't hear what we say when we're discussing options."

Thomas said the examination room, which had not been used because the services of a physician were not available, would get some use; the center procured the services of a physician from Butler to do "safe exams" -- the kind of physical examination used in sexual abuse cases. The doctor must be located within a 50-mile radius and meet certain other requirements in order to conduct the exams.

Thomas said the center has received support from organizations and individuals too numerous to mention.

"Since we were accredited, we have had the support of the Vernon County Commissioners, the City of Nevada and many organizations and individuals," Thomas said. "It means a lot to us, and we appreciate the people who have been so helpful."

Like all organizations, and households for that matter, when it comes time to move there are expenses. Hoping to offset some of the expenses, the board of directors for the center will conduct an auction in October. Pete Schmidt, former Vernon County victim's advocate, said that details weren't worked out yet, but that left more time for people to donate items for the auction.

"It can be just about anything -- some small item, a gift certificate, whatever they feel they can give," Schmidt said. "If someone has something to donate, they can get in touch with Jennifer Thomas at the Juvenile Office (417) 667-5015 or Jeff Feuquay at the law office of Russell, Brown and Breckenridge (417) 667-5076.