Central Alabama Regional Child Advocacy Center

The Central Alabama Regional Child Advocacy Center is a child friendly setting where victims of abuse can begin their healing process.  Its mission is to further reduce trauma to child victims through coordinating a timely, comprehensive and multidisciplinary response in reported cases of child sexual abuse and severe physical abuse.

When children are scheduled for a forensic interview at the CAC they find that the Center offers a play area, books, puzzles, games and television with movies to keep the children entertained. Each member of the family is offered snacks and drinks.  Parents are able to sit comfortably nearby without being separated from their children while they wait for the interview to begin.  Just down the hall is an interview room, also set up to be comfortable for ages 3 to 17 years old.  The interview takes place in this room and is recorded for evidentiary purposes. It is conducted by a specially trained forensic interviewer.  Members of the multidisciplinary team (DHR and law enforcement) witness the interview through closed circuit television from a special designated area.  Parents wait close by and are reunited with their children as soon as the interview is completed.  Each child is offered a “comfort gift” such as a stuffed animal or baby doll, to take with them.

The CAC began conducting forensic interviews in October, 2010.  Since then, numerous children have been interviewed, forensic interviewers have been hired and, because the need is so great, the CAC has opened a satellite office in Bibb County.  The CAC schedules appointments for children from Dallas, Bibb, Wilcox, Perry and Hale counties weekly.  The adult who accompanies each child is presented with contact information on the mental health facility in their area for counseling services to continue their recovery process.

The Child Advocacy Center works with a number of agencies which form a Multi-disciplinary Team.  This team of law enforcement, DHR, mental health professionals, representatives from the District Attorney’s office, juvenile probation officers and school system representatives meet monthly to review active cases and update all personnel on the status of each child victim.  A multidisciplinary approach is used to prevent, investigate, prosecute and treat victims of child abuse. 

The Central Alabama Regional Child Advocacy Center uses a child-focused approach when coordinating efforts to ensure that a child is safe and that his or her needs are being met. The Center helps children cope with the trauma of abuse and provides hope to victims and their families. Hope is both a necessary and an important ingredient in dealing with this atrocious situation.

We, as caring individuals, must all face this problem together.  It is a great challenge for a small, start up center to serve devastated children from 5 of the poorest counties in Alabama, but the CAC staff and Board of Directors have faith that the citizens of this region will join together and assist us in accomplishing this monumental task. 

 Quick Facts: 

• Specially trained “Forensic Interviewers” conduct sessions on site with members of the multi-disciplinary team (DHR, Law Enforcement, DA’s Office) witnessing through closed circuit television.
• Multiple witnesses reduce the need for repeated interviews.
• Interviews are recorded for evidentiary purposes.
• Children are offered “comfort gifts” (doll or stuffed animal) to take home with them.
• CAC serves 5 counties: Dallas, Wilcox, Bibb, Perry and Hale
• The CAC's primary office is in Dallas County and satellite office is in Bibb County.
• Local agencies (City, County, District Attorney, School Systems, Police and Sheriff’s Departments, juvenile probation, DHR and Mental Health) work together as a coordinated Multi-Disciplinary Team to serve the child victims.
• Since October 2010 the CAC has conducted hundreds of forensic interviews of child victims.