This two-day training aims to enhance previously acquired forensic interviewing skills by addressing challenges related to reluctance and the variety of ways in which youth who have experienced or witnessed maltreatment present. By covering topics of chronic, physical and psychological abuse, witness to violence and technology-facilitated crimes, trainers will provide participants with information, tools and resources for which to approach these cases.

*Intermediate

MEET YOUR TRAINERS

Traci Mueller started her career with Children’s Advocacy Centers in 2002 as the first Executive Director of Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center, covering Lee & Ogle County, Illinois.  She then moved to DeKalb County Children’s Advocacy Center as the Director and the Forensic Interviewer.  Nine years ago Traci returned to Shining Star CAC where she continued to provide the forensic interviews and testify as an expert witness for child abuse cases until her retirement in April of 2019.   Traci has been interviewing children involved in physical or sexual abuse investigations for the past 15 years and has interviewed over 1500 children and teens.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University.  Traci has completed the Finding Words Illinois Forensic Interviewing course (now, Child First) and Advanced Forensic Interviewing courses in both physical abuse and sexual abuse.  She has also completed Child Sex Trafficking Forensic Interview Training through NCJTC.   Traci has been working with survivors of abuse for the last 20 years and over 17 of those years have been with Children’s Advocacy Centers.  Prior to working with Children’s Advocacy Centers Traci was a Legal Advocate with a Sexual Assault Program in Illinois and had also been a CASA volunteer.  Traci is a wife, mother of four girls and happy Nana of one little girl!  The last 2 years Traci has been working with Children’s Advocacy Center’s of Illinois as a mentor for new interviews through out the state. 

Lynn Aladeen has a Master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance and has worked for a number of Children’s Advocacy Centers in the states of Illinois and New York for more than 20 years.  Lynn became a forensic interviewer in 2006.  She has conducted over 3700 interviews of alleged victims of child physical and/or sexual abuse and trained numerous forensic interviewers.  She currently conducts interviews for the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center, provides supervision for the forensic interviewing program at the Child Advocacy Center of Niagara and contracts with Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois to develop and provide forensic interview training and to mentor new interviewers. 

More Information

Breakfast included with stay. Cost for training pays for lunch both days.  Participants responsible for dinner costs.

Hotel stay for the nights of August 12 & 13 is included and reservations are being cared for by CACI.

Registration will close July 12, 2019

There will be no refunds after August 1st for training costs.