Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) – like the Jackson County Child Advocacy Center (JCCAC) –  were born from the belief that we could do more to help a child if everyone involved in child maltreatment investigations worked together.

Rather than a child and their family bouncing around a fragmented system, when Law Enforcement or Child Protective Services have concern about child maltreatment—often child sexual abuse—the JCCAC coordinates investigators to come together at the JCCAC to listen to the child. All the investigators hear the story at the same time while a trained interviewer who specializes in talking to children about allegations of abuse speaks with the child. It sounds simple, but this commitment to work together has revolutionized the way sexual abuse allegations are investigated.

For a child who may have been a victim of abuse, however, the story doesn’t end with the investigation. The effects of abuse can linger. For that reason, CACs ensure that a child has access to on-going support, advocacy, and therapy. The goal is to help the child heal, so they can get back to being a kid.