WHAT IS THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER?
Each year across the country, countless children suffer from abuse and neglect at the hands of people close to them. The Children’s Advocacy Center of Texas (CACs) was established in 1994 in an effort to enhance the sensitivity and responsiveness of our civil and criminal justice systems, thereby minimizing the impact of the trauma, for these children and their families. CACs are non-profit 501-(c)(3) organizations.
Learn more about CACs in Texas.
BEFORE CACS WERE HERE
Before the Child Advocacy Center model became the nationwide practice, if your child made an outcry of abuse, it didn't mean the hurt was over. Wouldn’t you want the investigation, prosecution and intervention services to be handled in a manner sensitive to the needs of your child?
Due to the complex nature of these cases, our systems require the involvement of many different professionals to investigate, prosecute and intervene. Historically, information was not routinely shared, efforts were rarely coordinated, and obtaining successful outcomes for these child victims was virtually impossible -- leading to unnecssary additional trauma for the child and the family.
LOCAL CACS
A children’s advocacy center (CAC) is the ONE non-profit that serves as the first stop for children victimized by sexual abuse or severe physical abuse or who have witnessed a violent crime. CACs provide a safe, child-friendly environment where law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, medical, and mental health professionals can share information and develop effective, coordinated strategies sensitive to the needs of each unique case and child. It is the goal of all local centers to reduce trauma to child abuse victims and their families by offering six core services.
A Multi-Disciplinary Team Approach
With an interagency, multi-disciplinary partnership dedicated to providing intervention, hope and healing for children and families affected by abuse, trauma, and violence, and to the prevention of child abuse through education and training.
Learn more about how a multi-disciplinary team approach works.
