Statements
Mission
Children's Advocacy Center for the 31st Judicial District delivers exceptional services to victims of severe child abuse. Our team directly reduces the trauma from abuse, through our provision of a well-coordinated multi-disciplinary investigation. We vigorously fight to break the cycle of child abuse by providing prevention services through education.The goals of our Children's Advocacy Center are: * Help the victims of severe child abuse and their non-offending caregivers learn to better cope with their victimization. * Combine the vast experience and professional knowledge of our Child Protective Investigative Team members to provide a comprehensive and effective response to all child abuse allegations. * Use an intervention method that is considerate of the individuality of each case and focuses primarily on the needs of the abused child and their non-offending caregivers. * Educate all school children in Warren and Van Buren on personal body safety and recommend people so they may seek help. * Educate our citizens that child abuse affects our community in its entirety and that prevention education, awareness and cooperation is the only way to minimize the consequences.
Background
"All children have the right to grow up in an environment that is safe, healthy, and nurturing." In 1985, Robert "Bud" Cramer, District Attorney General from Huntsville, Alabama, identified a problem between the interaction of Social Services and the Criminal Justice System when it came to handling child sexual abuse cases. He recognized the apparent disconnect within a system designed to help young victims. Repetitious and segmented experiences, where the child had to discuss their abuse experience in multiple interviews with numerous people in public business settings, increased the child's emotional distress during the investigation process. The concept of Children's Advocacy Centers was then implemented to facilitate a concerted effort between child advocates, law enforcement, criminal justice, child protective service, medical and mental health professionals. The formation of this Child Protective Investigative Team (CPIT) united dedicated professionals into one well-coordinated multi-disciplinary team to properly address allegations of child maltreatment. In October 2000, the Children's Advocacy Center for the 31st Judicial District (CAC31) was founded by a local group of concerned individuals dedicated to helping the victims of child abuse become children again. Our Center was established to aid in the intervention, investigation, and recovery of allegations of severe child maltreatment in Warren and Van Buren Counties. We provide a neutral, child-friendly setting where alleged victims of child abuse or neglect discuss their experiences with a well-trained professional. Our CPIT members inconspicuously observe the interview and then collectively formulate a plan of action to ensure the continued safety of the child. Each client is provided with immediate crisis intervention, advocacy, resource assistance, and education all of which is individually tailored to best meet their needs and minimize the risk of additional trauma. Over the years we have decided to take a more proactive approach and created a prevention program. Advocates facilitate child abuse prevention through coordinated training, education, and community outreach. Our target audience is both children and adults. We recognize the responsibility for preventing child maltreatment is an adult responsibility and strongly encourage adult participation. Yet, we believe all children should be aware of their right to personal safety and where to obtain help.
Impact
During our 2019-2020 year we achieved the following objectives: We remain as an Accredited Member of the National Children's Alliance, member of excellent standing in National Children's Advocacy Center as well as the Children's Advocacy Center of Tennessee. These membership ensure we are closely monitored for adherence to the best practice methods in the provision of our services. Out of the 759 children reported within our district, as victims of child maltreatment 151 children were classified as victims of child sexual abuse, drug endangered, severe physical abuse or neglect. Our Victim-Family Advocate has provided 994 crisis intervention, justice support, mental & medical health referrals, client follow-up and community resource assistance services. Our 'You Can Talk to Me' trauma focused counseling program has successfully completed 216 individual sessions to children victimized by maltreatment. Our Forensic Interviewer continues to provide excellent services to our child victims in both English and Spanish. She is tasked with ensuring others adhere to the best practice methods in the provision of child interviews. Our Prevention Campaign has directly impacted: 2700 students through personal body safety instruction by the interactive participation in classroom education. The average increase in student knowledge obtained through participation in our education programs has been identified as 60%. 2500 adults have received child abuse prevention and recognition education through various seminars and outreach activities with 137 new Stewards of Children. 84 members of our Hispanic/Latino community have voluntarily participated in child abuse prevention and recognition education. Our current goals are: 1. To establish a marketing campaign which will stimulate more members of our community into reporting their suspicions of child maltreatment to the Child Abuse Hotline. 2. To obtain funding to facilitate the addition of a bi-lingual Spanish speaking Advocate to better facilitate communication/education for our ever growing Latino-Hispanic community. 3. To secure funding to expand our existing mental health services, including the formation of an educational peer based support group for non-offending caregivers and another for child-victims.
Needs
The foundation of our Children's Advocacy Center mandates the provision of all direct client services free of charge. We will always be dependent upon the generosity of others. Financial assistance is and will always be our most vital need. We continually strive to maintain and enhance our provision of quality services to victims of child maltreatment. Secure funding to expand our part time Prevention Advocate to full-time. This advocate will facilitate a more consistent education interaction with school children and foster the expansion of our community outreach and education programs. ($30,000 annually) One of the key components in a child's recovery from severe maltreatment is a brief term of specialized mental health treatment. We currently outsource our counseling services to area mental health providers on a part-time basis. We are seeking funding to expand our counseling program to provide in-house treatment to identifed victims and non-offending caregivers. ($45,000 annually)
CEO Statement
The maltreatment of children is a major concern to the overall public health and welfare of our society. It impacts each one of us financially and helps govern the future foundation of our communities. There were 71,979 reports of child maltreatment in Tennessee during 2016 according to a Department of Children Services' report with 759 child abuse cases reported from within Warren and Van Buren Counties. The Children's Advocacy Center is composed of a dedicated team of multi-disciplinary professionals devoted to ensuring child maltreatment is well addressed for the children of Warren and Van Buren. Our primary objective is to provide comprehensive intervention, investigation, support and treatment to children identified as victims of severe child maltreatment and their non-offending caregivers. The inclusion of specifically trained investigators from the Department of Children's Services and local law enforcement, along with a dedicated Assistant District Attorney ensure substantiated offenders will be held accountable. Our collaborative intervention approach has long proven results. It provides all-inclusive services specifically tailored to best suit the individual needs of identified victims of severe abuse or neglect. We are with these victimized families providing complete victim support from the time of the initial investigation until services are no longer required or the child turns 18 years of age. The strategic alliance and action of our team produces a well informed decision making process; the successful identification of other needed services; and a final outcome which ensures the child's welfare. Yet, successful prevention education campaigns and community acceptance are crucial components in the crusade against child maltreatment. By taking this proactive approach we: boost awareness of its existence in our community, foster adults into taking protective measures to prevent child maltreatment, and stimulate action to report any child abuse suspicions. Without any of our programs, child abuse victims would probably remain unaided. Unless they were fortunate to be one of the identified, these young victims would be expected to manage within a system, which is neither child-focused nor child-friendly, be subjected to adverse adult experiences and potential infliction of unintentional distress. I'm pleased to say, we are making great strides in our mission! We are stimulating positive outcomes in the futures of victimized children.
Board Chair Statement
Statement from Board President, Beth Saunders
The Children's Advocacy Center for the 31st Judicial District is a fantastic and much needed agency for Warren and Van Buren Counties. CAC31 provides children with a safe and comfortable environment to share their story about the abuse they have endured. The CAC is truly a place of hope and healing. Each child seen and every family who seeks our help are provided with first rate service free of charge. Some of these services include Forensic Interviews, Family/Victims Advocacy, Trauma Informed Advocacy and educational prevention programs in our local schools. Our "You Can Talk to Me" program specializes in providing trauma-focused counseling to children, between the ages of 3 to 17, who have been sexually or physically abused or neglected, drug endangered, or witnesses to violent crime. Our most capable and caring staff provide support for these children and their families on the front line. However, the CAC is a non-profit organization. We are funded exclusively through grants, personal donations, corporate contributions and the generosity of our citizens in both Warren and Van Buren counties. The community gives generously and participates in our several fund-raising events. These children and their circumstances matter. Everybody involved has a heart to help eradicate these abusive situation by supporting law enforcement in catching, arresting and prosecuting offenders to the full extent of the law.
I was invited to join the Board of Directors 5 years ago and have been honored to be President for the last two years. Our current Executive Director is an amazing, caring individual who works hard and is responsible for much of the fund-raising successes we have had through grants and collaboration with her CAC colleagues throughout the state. Our Board members are the most ambitious and caring group of individuals you could ever want to work with. Each Board member has such a passion for the mission of our Children's Advocacy Center. We understand the importance of the mission of the CAC and all their affiliates who team together to provide the best support possible for our clients and their families. This is not a one-shot fix. The abuse and trauma faced by these victims is life-long. Support is available through collaborative agencies as long as it is needed, but it all starts with the CAC. For this reason the Children's Advocacy Center for the 31st Judicial District is a huge success in Warren and Van Buren Counties.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Crime & Legal - Related - Child Abuse Prevention |
| Secondary Category: | Mental Health & Crisis Intervention - Counseling |
| Tertiary Category: | Education - Elementary & Secondary Schools |
Areas Served
Children's Advocacy Center for the 31st Judicial District proudly serves Warren and Van Buren Counties in Tennessee.
| TN - Warren |
| TN - Van Buren |
