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By Mark Varenhorst, MCP Contributing Writer
PERE MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, highlighting the work of organizations such as the Lakeshore Children’s Advocacy Center.
The center, which serves Mason, Manistee and Oceana counties, provides a coordinated response for children who have experienced abuse. Its Ludington and Manistee sites bring together law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors, medical professionals and mental health providers in one location.
Executive Director Megan McCarthy has led the organization since 2019. She previously spent 17 years as a teacher at Onekama Consolidated Schools. McCarthy oversees administration, grant writing and operations, and also observes forensic interviews when possible.
Megan McCarthy
“The face of LCAC is the people,” McCarthy said.
The center offers a child-friendly, non-threatening environment where children can share their experiences without having to repeat their accounts multiple times. Interviews are conducted by trained forensic interviewers while investigators observe remotely, helping reduce additional trauma.
Staff include family advocates and forensic interviewers such as Mason County advocate Lindsay Umlauf and Manistee County advocate Traci Smith, who also serves as a case manager.
“We help children find safety, justice and healing,” McCarthy said. “Children deserve justice.”
About half of the center’s funding comes from state and federal grants, with the remainder supported by donations.
The Ludington site is designed to provide privacy and comfort, allowing children to meet with advocates in a secure setting rather than a law enforcement office.
“We are a safety net for families in crisis,” McCarthy said.
National Child Abuse Prevention Month is symbolized by blue and silver pinwheels, representing the healthy, happy childhoods all children deserve.
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