Overview
MISSION: To provide a place where the trauma ends and justice and healing begin.
Tags
- Nonprofit Organization
- Social Service
- Charity Organization
- Establishment
Description
MISSION: To provide a place where the trauma ends and justice and healing begin.
What is a child advocacy center (CAC)?
It takes courage for a child to talk about sexual or physical abuse. A child advocacy center plays a unique role in providing comprehensive, coordinated and compassionate services to child victims of abuse.
Children who are sexually or physically abused are taken to a child advocacy center to meet with a highly trained forensic interviewer. The child advocacy center is a kid-friendly environment designed to reduce the trauma of the interview, and to provide a necessary tool in prosecuting those who prey upon children.
In child abuse cases, the child’s statement is often the key evidence utilized by investigators in determining the facts. Preservation of that statement is critical in ensuring the integrity of the investigation. At the child advocacy center, the child’s statement is both video and audio recorded. This means fewer investigative interviews for the child, which minimizes the re-victimization of the child during the investigation.
Why do we need one?
The child advocacy centers previously utilized to obtain forensic interviews for investigations of crimes against children are no longer able to provide services to our agencies. This, coupled with the district’s increased population growth, and subsequent rise of criminal activity, has placed our community in dire need of opening a local child advocacy center.
Impact:
In the first 5 years, Children’s Alliance of South Texas will:
• Serve over 2,000 traumatized children in Atascosa, Frio, Karnes, LaSalle, Wilson, and surrounding counties.
• Provide comprehensive services in a more efficient, effective, child-friendly manner.
• Provide increased access to mental health services.
• Provide training and peer review for highest standards of care.
• Provide a child-friendly and safe place where the child’s needs are paramount.
What can I do to help?
The CAC runs on grants and private contributions. The CAC is the first step in ending the abuse and allowing the healing to begin. It is vital that our community encourage and financially support the Children’s Alliance of South Texas, A Child Advocacy Center.
