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What CAC's Do |
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A Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is a child-focused, community based program where representatives from many disciplines meet to discuss and make decisions about investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases. The multidisciplinary team approach brings together all the professionals and agencies needed to offer comprehensive services: law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, mental-health, and the medical community. This comprehensive approach, along with the follow-up services that the CACs provide, ensure that children receive child-focused services in a child friendly environment. As a result, CACs provide more immediate follow-up to child abuse reports, more efficient medical and mental health services or referrals, reduction in the number of child victim interviews, increased successful prosecution, and consistent support for child victims and non-offending family members. |
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The core components of a Children’s Advocacy Center are: | |
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A child-friendly environment | |
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Coordinated multidisciplinary teams including representation from the following disciplines: Law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, mental health, and medical services | |
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Regular interdisciplinary case review | |
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Intensive case follow-up | |
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Specially trained professionals | |
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