WEST FRANKFORT - A dream and several years of planning have finally come down to just one week before the doors to The Roan Center will open in West Frankfort.

The center, housing the Night's Shield program to house displaced sibling groups, is expected to receive proper licensure from the state next week and will begin to take in children immediately.

"We actually started training with staff today," said Cindy McGee, social work supervisor. "We've got maybe half of the staff hired."

Training included violent crisis intervention and how to conduct a proper restraint, if necessary. The group will later learn first aid and CPR, laws regarding reporting child abuse to authorities, and general policy and procedures of the center.

"Everything is going well with the training," said director Judy Davis. "There are certain standards that we have to meet for licensing. We are training staff on those. We are hoping to get our permits from the state for that and to be able to start brining in the kids next week."

Davis said the community, board, and staff are equally excited about the grand opening, the official start of a project that has been long in the making.

"They have all worked so hard to make this happen," she said.

The Night's Shield will serve as a pilot program for the state. It is the first of its kind to house sibling groups rather than place children individually, often placing brothers and sisters with different foster homes.

Originally, the building was also scheduled to house abused women but conflicts with state mandates and other safety precautions deterred that project. The adjacent portion of the facility will now serve as transitional housing for older children.