Local professionals attend state child advocacy conference.

Det. Mikki Hecko of the Ludington Police Department and Sgt. Matthew Umlauf, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Tribal Police.

Local professionals attend state child advocacy conference.

GRAND RAPIDS — Six local professionals representing the Manistee County Child Advocacy Center (MCCAC) attended the annual conference of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Michigan this week.

Conference attendees networked with other professionals in their field and increased their knowledge in the latest research and strategies related to child abuse investigation and response.

MCCAC serves both Manistee and Mason counties, providing forensic interviews, counseling, and case coordination when there has been a report of child abuse.

Pictured left to right: Deputy Alex Schajter, Manistee County Sheriff’s Office; Christina Thompson, MCCAC forensic interviewer; Chelsea Medacco, MCCAC Outreach Specialist/Advocate; Kelli Petit, Mason County trauma therapist.