NATCHEZ — The Natchez Children’s Home will soon be housing a child advocacy center that will create a friendly setting and safe haven for abused children and their families going through the trauma and legal process of dealing with abuse.

Karla Steckler Tye, executive director of Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi, said Wednesday at the Natchez Rotary Club meeting that a child advocacy center can eliminate multiple interviews abused children are put through during their case. Tye said multiple interviews often re-traumatize a child.

“The system can also feel very fragmented to the child and their family,” she said.

Tye said a trained multidisciplinary team would work together at the center to focus on minimizing potential trauma. She said one team member would conduct the interview with a child while the rest of the team observes the interview in a separate room. She said before the interview is concluded, the interviewer will confer with the team to make sure all questions are answered in the single interview.

Hungerford said all but one of the team members for the Natchez center has spent a week doing intensive training with Steckler. Hungerford said the team is made up of experienced professionals in child services and law enforcement. The teams consists of Jackie Biggs-Eidt, Glenda Wilson, Robert Brown, Karren Ewing, Angela James, Vivian Touissant, Felesha Flemming and Veronica Green.

Tye said felony sexual abuse is involved in 82 percent of all the cases handled by centers run by Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi. She said the taped interview would not be used in lieu of a child’s testimony during trial but as a tool in gathering evidence for the court.

Adams County Youth Court Judge John Hudson said at the meeting that a child advocacy center in Natchez would give children, families and officials immediate access to a center. He said abused children are currently traveling to the child advocacy center in McComb.

“If something happens in the middle of the night, there is not much you can do about it,” Hudson said.

Tye said putting a child advocacy center in Natchez could not only serve Adams County but the several surrounding counties that do not have a child advocacy center as well.

Hungerford said the home is partnering with Adams County Youth Court, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi and the Adams County Coalition for Children and Youth to start the center she hopes is open and running by the Jan. 1.

Hungerford said it would take approximately $75,000 to get the center started. She said that money would go toward expenses such as buying video equipment for interviews and a salary for a full-time center director. Hungerford said the start-up money would come from donations, grants and fundraisers.

Tye said there are 700 child advocacy centers across the nation. She said because of budget cuts Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi will not be able to assist Natchez with the $10,000 typically given to a new center starting up.

The Natchez Rotary Club has designated the funds raised at its 2011 annual Broadway Bash Chili Cook-Off Oct. 29 on the bluff for the child advocacy center.

Tasting tickets are $5 at the gate. Ticket-holders will get to sample all of the chilies cooked at the competition. For more information on the competition, to become a sponsor or register a team, e-mail Doug Wimberly at dwimberly@jksllc.com. The Rotary Club is asking all donations and application for registration be submitted by Sept. 30.

Hungerford said she hopes to raise $10,000 at the event. She said this center is an immediate need for the community.

“We think about our own children and what would happen if it happened to them,” she said. “It’s not at all uncommon right here. It could be you, it could be your neighbor.”

Tye said a child advocacy center typically saves the city $1,000 on each case. She said she believes there were 90 reported cases of child abuse in Adams County in 2010.

“There is your child advocacy center in one year,” Tye said after the meeting.