What is a CAC?
Children’s Advocacy Centers Defined
A Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) provides:
A synergetic environment where law enforcement, prosecutors and child protective services case workers can investigate abuse allegations in a collaborative manner sensitive to the needs of young victims and their protective family members.
A collaborative environment where law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, victim advocacy, forensic interviewing, medical and mental health professionals can share information and develop effective, coordinated strategies sensitive to the needs of each unique case.
A safe environment that offers a child-friendly, non-institutional setting where specialized forensic interviewers talk to children to help determine whether or not abuse has occurred.
A nourishing environment where abused children and their protective family members can go to ensure they receive specialized advocacy, medical and therapeutic services necessary to treat the physical, emotional and psychological trauma caused by abuse.
A community-oriented environment where volunteers can be a part of developing and delivering support for abused children and their families, helping them to heal and eventually grow into healthy, productive citizens capable of making a positive contribution to society.
A proactive environment where communities can establish and implement effective programs for the protection of children through increased awareness about the problem and incidence of child abuse and the positive impact children’s advocacy centers can have on the lives of child abuse victims.
Primary Goals of a CAC
Minimize re-victimization of child victims and protective family members throughout the investigation and prosecution processes.
Facilitate successful outcomes in both the child protection and the criminal justice systems through effective, collaborative fact finding and coordinated case development.
Key Components of a CAC
Case Review - A formal process in which multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussion and information sharing regarding the investigation, case status and services needed by the child and non-offending caregivers/family members is to occur on a routine basis.
Case Tracking - CACs must develop and implement a system for monitoring case progress and tracking case dispositions for all multidisciplinary components.
Child-Focused Setting - The child-focused setting is comfortable, private, and both physically and psychologically safe for diverse populations of children and their non-offending family members.
Cultural Competency and Diversity – The CAC provides culturally competent services for all CAC clients throughout the duration of the case.
Forensic Interviews - Forensic interviews are coordinated to avoid duplicative interviewing and are conducted in a manner that is legally sound and of a neutral, fact finding nature, as part of the multidisciplinary response.
Medical Evaluation - Specialized medical evaluations and treatment services are available and accessible to child victims of alleged abuse and are coordinated as part of the multidisciplinary response.
Mental Health - Evidence-based, trauma-focused mental health services are provided to children and their non-offending family members as part of the multidisciplinary response.
Multidisciplinary Team - A Multidisciplinary Team for response to child abuse allegations includes representation from the following: Law Enforcement, Child Protection, Prosecution, Medical, Mental Health, Victim Support and Advocacy, Forensic Interviewing and Children’s Advocacy Center.
Organizational Capacity - A designated legal entity responsible for program and fiscal operations has been established and implements basic sound administrative policies and procedures.
Victim Support and Advocacy - Victim support and advocacy services are provided to children and families as part of the multidisciplinary response.
Volunteer - Opportunities for community involvement are provided through a formalized volunteer program dedicated to supporting the CAC.
a collaborative response for children impacted by abuse
P 512-258-9920 | F 512-258-9926 | cactx.org
children’s advocacy centers™ of texas, inc.
1501 West Anderson Lane | Building B1 | Austin, Texas 78757