This year, the 17th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council celebrated 30 years of community collaboration in Boone and Winnebago Counties.
The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority funds Family Violence Coordinating Councils to provide a forum to improve the institutional, professional, and community response to interpersonal violence, including child abuse, domestic violence, elder abuse and sexual assault.
The councils seek to provide education and increase awareness to professionals and community members through training, community events, and project implementation.
Established in 1994, the 17th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council (FVCC) has been the impetus behind many of our community’s innovative strategies to address domestic violence, such as our nationally-recognized Domestic Violence Coordinated Court, annual Hands Around the Courthouse event during Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month, and Children’s Safe Harbor, our local supervised visitation and safe exchange center.