Children's Advocacy Center (CAC)
The Safe Passage Children’s Advocacy Center (referred to as the “CAC”) is where the needs of your child always come first. At the CAC you’ll find a child-friendly, comfortable and warm setting for your child to be able to talk about what happened and receive a wide range of victim services for your child and your family. These community-based centers and their staff serve as first responders in allegations of all types of child abuse. They provide hope and healing to neglected and abused children and their families through treatment, advocacy, and investigation services.
Please note that referrals to the CAC can only come from law enforcement or child protection services.
Although, parents, community members and professionals can call the CAC for support and referrals if their child has been abused or if abuse is suspected.
Meet Lucy
Lucy is our service dog at the SPCAC. She provides our young clients with emotional support during their forensic interviews and any court hearings.
We at the CAC believe the child abuse response should focus on the needs of the child and is most effective when the skills of multiple agencies are coordinated.
The Safe Passage Children’s Advocacy Center (SPCAC) is a community-based, child-friendly, and trauma-informed program that coordinates a multidisciplinary response to child abuse allegations. Without a child advocacy center, child victims often have to relive their abuse, detailing their experience multiple times to one official after another, typically at a police station.
We deliver a best practice model that brings together child protective services, law enforcement, our certified forensic interviewers, prosecutors, family advocates, and medical and mental health professionals to provide a coordinated, comprehensive response to victims and their non-offending caregivers.
Children speak to our forensic interviewers who are trained to understand child development, how to manage bias, and are knowledgeable in addressing secondary trauma and other best practices for interviewing children. The multidisciplinary approach helps improve communication and data collection, which in turn optimizes outcomes and reduces trauma.
If you have questions about the CAC, please contact Scott Coleman at scoleman@safepassageid.org
Additional Resources
Parents and Guardians - Help and Guidance
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
VINE - Victim Notification Network