[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25969]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              IN HONOR OF THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN BENTSEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 2, 2000

  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Children's 
Assessment Center located in Houston, Texas as it begins its tenth year 
of service to Harris County's children.
  The Children's Assessment Center (CAC) was founded in 1991 to address 
the unique needs of sexually abused children in Harris County. Since 
the Center first opened, it has served more than 38,000 children by 
fulfilling its mission to protect children by providing a professional, 
compassionate and coordinated approach to the treatment of sexually 
abused children. The CAC also helps to advocate on behalf of these 
children through the court system. I believe that the ``one-stop'' 
shopping provided at the CAC is the right approach to ensure that these 
children receive services in one convenient, nurturing environment. 
Sexual abuse is one of the most heinous crimes and we must work 
together to protect these children.
  The CAC is a collaborative effort between the Harris County 
Commissioners' Court and the Children's Assessment Center Foundation. 
The CAC's $10.5 million state-of-the-art facility, located in my 
district, was specially designed to provide an environment that will 
meet each child's needs for warmth, support, and protection. The CAC is 
also a member of the National Children's Alliance and the largest of 
its kind in the nation. The Center houses professionals from fifteen 
partner agencies, including law enforcement, the University of Texas 
Health Science Center Medical School, psychological/psychiatric 
professionals and students, and governmental investigative entities 
which work cooperatively to protect children and investigate sexual 
abuse. This team approach is critically important to successfully 
helping these children to recover from sexual abuse.
  Earlier this year, the CAC was awarded the Legacy Award for 
Excellence and Innovation by the National Association of Counties at a 
ceremony held at the U.S. Capitol. This Legacy Award for Excellence was 
presented to the CAC because it had shown itself to be the program that 
most fully embraced the spirit of volunteerism and has set itself apart 
from all others across the nation with its distinct and unparalleled 
services. Each year, the CAC works with more than 150 volunteers who 
assist in protecting and improving the lives of sexually abused 
children in Harris County. None of these accomplishments would have 
been possible without the leadership of Ellen Cokinos, the Executive 
Director of the CAC. Ellen has worked tirelessly on behalf of these 
children and we should all thank her for her leadership in helping 
these children to heal.
  I want to commend the Children's Assessment Center, its staff, Board 
members and volunteers for their leadership in helping sexually abused 
children and applaud their efforts to raise awareness about the special 
needs of sexually abused children.

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