Madison County Leaders Kick Off Child Abuse Prevention Month

WOOD RIVER - Local organizations gathered for the annual Child Abuse Prevention Month Kickoff event.

On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, stakeholders and community members came together for speeches and a resource fair hosted by Refuge 4 Kids at Riverbend Family Ministries. The goal was to encourage attendees to look out for the kids in their lives and support families. People from across the county were in attendance and spoke about the importance of preventing child abuse.

“I've never been prouder to be part of Madison County than I have over the last few decades of just doing this and seeing how they show up. Children in this community are loved,” said Erin Bickle, Refuge’s executive director. “It takes one loving adult to change the trajectory of a child's entire life. That's our call to action, to be that one.”

Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor read a proclamation that declares April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Illinois. The proclamation encourages community members to support child abuse prevention programs and report suspected cases of child abuse to the Department of Children and Family Services.

Rachel Chruszczyk, the Southern Region Prevention Specialist with Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, spoke about the day’s theme, “Pinwheels of Possibility.” She noted that every child is “born full of promise” and it’s every adult’s responsibility to look out for these kids. She also pointed out that children living in poverty, LGBTQ+ children, Black and Brown children, and immigrant children are especially vulnerable.

“The pinwheels that we see today remind us that when the conditions are right, children can thrive. Prevention is about creating those conditions early,” Chruszczyk said. “When you show up consistently for a child, when you offer stability and care, you're not just being kind; you're quite literally building resilience in that child's brain. You are protecting them from the long-term impacts of stress and trauma. That is the power that one trusted adult has, and it's the power that every single one of us here holds.”

Tawnya Hooper, a regional administrator with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, recognized that families are “in crisis” when they come to DCFS’s attention. She emphasized that prevention means giving families “the support they need to be safe, stable and healthy.”

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“We will deepen our focus on family reunification, expand access to high-quality community-based and preventive services, continue modernizing our system and processes, and strengthen the support we provide to our children and our families as well as our workforce,” Hooper said.

Maureen Schuette, an Associate Judge in the Third Judicial Circuit in Illinois, explained that the Madison County Courthouse has worked hard to provide resources for kids, including a children’s room “for children to gather to relieve the stress of the courthouse setting.”

This room has toys, books, a television and sensory toys. Seven years ago, the courthouse also adopted Fitz, a support dog who provides comfort to kids while they’re testifying, undergoing interviews, or visiting the courthouse.

“We know that every single child has a right to a safe childhood free of violence,” Schuette added. “We are a team. Our children are our greatest, greatest asset. We as a team can make a difference.”

Christopher Threlkeld, Chief Judge for the Third Judicial Circuit, echoed Schuette. He added that child abuse and neglect are preventable and that the courts “play an essential frontline role” to intervene in instances of child abuse.

“Every child deserves to grow up safe, loved and free from trauma,” he said. “Together, through awareness, judicial leadership and community partnership, we can ensure fewer children suffer in silence, and more families find the path to healing.”

The Madison County Child Advocacy Center executive director Jenny Wilkerson closed out the speakers by sharing that 608 children in Madison County were served by the center for sexual or severe physical abuse in 2025. She noted that there are likely many more children who experienced abuse “whose voices haven’t been heard yet.”

She added that her organization recently spoke in a criminal justice class at a local college. After their presentation, one of the students hugged the forensic interviewer and shared that they are here because of the support they received during their own forensic interview.

“These are the possibilities. This is what happens. This is why this room is full today, with all these helping agencies,” Wilkerson concluded. “It takes all of us working together as a team, from our court systems to the private agencies.”

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