Frequently Asked Questions

No, you must call 911 or the Indiana Child Abuse Hotline first at 1-800-800-5556. We only conduct forensic interviews at the request of law enforcement or the Department of Child Services.

For non-offending caregivers, you’re free to go almost immediately after the interview is complete. A Family and Victim Advocate will meet with you briefly to discuss optional services, offer additional help, and help you understand next steps.

You should bring your state-issued ID. If your child is receiving additional medical care or therapy, you can bring an insurance card. However, most families need only bring themselves and an ID.

No. Part of what makes forensic interviews so effective is the focus on the child, having a neutral environment, and placing the child first.

Most interviews are done in about an hour to 90 minutes. Some are shorter, and some can be much longer — particularly if they are under urgent circumstances. We never pressure kids to talk until they’re ready, but sometimes that can take many hours.

At Sylvia’s CAC, most interviews are conducted by Kassie Frazier or Danielle Allen.

Nothing. We never charge any family, regardless of income, anything for forensic interviews, victim advocacy, or any other primary CAC service.

Unless your child has been interviewed many many times, they will benefit from a complete forensic interview at the CAC. Law Enforcement may have asked some questions to understand the urgency of the situation or protect the child, but the interview we do at Sylvia’s CAC will be thorough and complete.

When your child enters the forensic interview room, discreet cameras and microphones in the walls will record them. Only your child and the forensic interviewer are in the room, talking about their situation. This is not a medical exam, and everyone sits in comfy chairs to talk about events.

Next door, law enforcement, DCS caseworkers, prosecutors, and other officials (such as detectives) will be monitoring the interview. They can talk to the forensic interviewer, but not to the child. Your child will never see those team members.

Afterwards, a DVD is generated to give to law enforcement and the prosecutor’s office. That is the only copy that will ever be made. No one inside the CAC or outside will ever see that footage or discuss your case with anyone not involved in an official capacity.

We’re located at 218 E Washington St, Lebanon, IN 46052. You can call us at 765-484-8410.

Sylvia’s CAC is the only one in Boone County. Other counties have CACs, including Hamilton, Marion, and Hendricks. But cases originating in the county typically stay in the county.

Our Family and Victim Advocate can help connect families to food, clothing, shelter, school supplies, understanding the criminal justice system, and much more. We can also refer kids and families to medical and mental health providers at low or no cost.

We conduct forensic interviews of informed cases of child abuse, child neglect, child sexual assault and abuse, and any case where a child may be a witness to a crime.

It’s generally best not to discuss anything unless they bring it up first. If they do, encourage them to understand we’re here to help, they’re safe, and they should be as honest and forthright as they can.

No, and the CAC is not a shelter or police facility. It is a neutral, non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and investigation of informed abuse, neglect, or maltreatment. We are also not a facility owned by or run by the Indiana Department of Child Services, though we work closely with them and law enforcement.

We’re a nonprofit operating entirely on the support of private donations. You can contribute online now with money, volunteerism, or both.