Through May of this year, MPACT, Marshalltown Police and Community Team, has responded to 82 calls for service that involves 164 people. YSS Marshall County Director David Hicks says 29% of those calls involved someone under the age of 18.

Hicks says the real beauty of the program is having the advocates take over cases that Law Enforcement does not have the right tools for.

Recently Hicks, the Advocates, and Marshalltown Police Officers went to a National Co-Responder Conference in Atlanta, Georgia to share ideas and learn how other communities respond.

Zach Tomesch, News Director KFJB