George Sheldon, director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, is expected to be at the University of Illinois Springfield Monday to dedicate a new training center on campus.
The training center opened in February. It has a mock trial room and a simulated residential setting that are meant to emulate situations that investigators could face in the field.
The lab project was two years in the making, says Betsy Goulet, coordinator of the project and the university’s Child Advocacy Studies program. The lab program is part of the Center for State Policy and Leadership at UIS.
UIS Chancellor Susan Koch, Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder and National Child Protection Training Center founder Victor Vieth will also participate in the dedication, which is scheduled at 11 a.m. at the training center, located at 4600 University Drive, near West Lake Shore Drive.
“The simulation house and mock courtroom will offer training to child protective investigators, judges, court personnel, service providers, mental health professionals, law enforcement, foster parents, and others who are involved in providing child welfare services and work directly with abused or neglected children,” according to a UIS release.
