Every year, more than 400 children from Monmouth County walk through the doors of the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center to report to authorities that they are victims of child abuse.
FREEHOLD -- The sunny entranceway to the unobtrusive building on Kozloski Road in Freehold belies its terrible secrets.
Every year, more than 400 children from Monmouth County walk through those doors to report to authorities that they are victims of child abuse.
Now, with the expansion of that building, which is Child Advocacy Center of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, investigators hope to make it easier for those going through horrific experiences.
"When the families leave here, my hope is all the resources are in place to address the needs of the children," said Martin Krupnick, chairman of the Friends of the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center.
All of New Jersey's 21 counties have some form of child abuse investigation unit, but Monmouth is one of only seven nationally accredited child advocacy centers in the state, which means it has to adhere to rigorous regulations and guidelines, Krupnick said.
The center, which was three decades in the planning and construction stages, puts all aspects of initial examination, treatment and investigation under one roof so that children don't have to repeatedly tell their stories to police officers, detectives, medical personnel and case workers.
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Thirty years ago, former Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye made child abuse investigations a priority and saw the need for a very specialized unit. That vision carried through with three successive prosecutors until the first section of the center opened in 2009.
As funding became available and the planning committee got a better idea of what was needed, the building was eventually pared down in size and cost. What was once projected to cost $6.5 million was built for $4.1 million, Krupnick said.
"Today, the children, families and citizens of Monmouth County can rest easier knowing that this child-friendly facility is open and ready to advance our efforts to develop community awareness, support a coordinated response to the victim of child abuse and to do all that we can to help these victims of child abuse to find a new normal," said acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni.
Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Peter Boser, supervisor of the unit, said the expansion was much needed. He recalled a time before the center opened when staff had 17 interviews scheduled for a single day at the prosecutor's office on Jerseyville Avenue in Freehold. People were sitting on the floor, on the hoods of their cars and just about anywhere else they could find a place to wait for their turn to talk to an investigator, he said.
That was far from ideal conditions for children and families in crisis, he said.
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Now there are three different waiting areas so victims and their families have privacy. Rooms have been set aside for group therapy such as mental health counseling for adults and art and play therapy for children.
A new medical suite eliminates the need for the children to go to the hospital, where emergency rooms are often crowded and daunting for the youngsters.
The interviews are held in one of two cozy rooms which hold only two chairs each- one for the investigator and one for the child. They're soundproof and they're fitted with hidden cameras allowing investigators sitting in a monitoring room in another part of the building to observe the interview being recorded in real time.
There's also a kitchen area that can also be used as an interview room to make families feel more at home.
"It just gives that sense of familiarity," Boser said. "We're putting the child first here in every way."
The expansion completes the center. When it opened in 2009, the first section encompassed 4,755 square feet and cost $2.3 million. The new section, which opened Oct. 27, adds 4,235 square feet at a cost of $1.8 million.
Funding for both phases came in equal shares from the federal government, the county, the prosecutor's office and donations raised by The Friends of the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center, a group formed to secure money that otherwise would be off limits to governmental agencies.
The Friends group raised money by asking members of the public to "buy" items that can be inscribed A $2,500 donation got donors one of five benches in a front garden. For $250, donors could have an inscription on one of the bricks on the entranceway floor . A $50 donation would allow them to create a design that would be imprinted on a wall tile in the facility and keep a replica for themselves.
MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.