Providing Healing and Hope
Did you know that one in 10 children in our community will experience child abuse before their 18th birthday? Research and experience show that, without intervention, they may suffer lifelong physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences.
The Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) of Centre County is a vital first step in their difficult journey to healing and hope. In our child-centered environment, children and caregivers meet with a highly-skilled investigative team.
Our CAC is accredited by the National Children’s Alliance because of our collaborative multi-disciplinary approach with law enforcement, children and youth caseworkers, mental health practitioners, victim advocates and the District Attorney’s office to ensure children have dedicated advocacy.
The mission of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Centre County, Mount Nittany Health, is to meet the needs of the children and families in our community by providing a community-based, child-focused center that facilitates a compassionate, multi-disciplinary approach to the prevention, identification, intervention, and treatment of child abuse.
Founded in 2014, the CAC is one of 40 Pennsylvania Children’s Advocacy Centers and currently serves four counties. Since its inception, the CAC has provided services to nearly 3,000 children. It has also trained more than 100 area police officers on minimal facts interviewing of children who have possibly experienced abuse and/or witnessed a crime, and hosted a four-county training on identifying sexual exploitation cases.
Our Approach
In our safe, warm, and welcoming setting, children work with forensic interviewers who have experience in children’s behavioral health. They also receive a medical examination from a pediatrician who specializes in child abuse. The CAC staff coordinates the Multidisciplinary Team response and remain dedicated advocates for the child for the life of their case.
The ability for children to tell their story — in a safe place, to a neutral party, in an evidence-based manner — is a key factor in their healing and recovery. Interviews are recorded so children don’t have to experience the trauma of telling their story repeatedly.
