THe dickinson Area Child Advocacy Center

 A Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is a child-focused, facility-based program where representatives from law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, mental health, medical services, and victim advocacy work together to investigate, treat, and support children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Here's how a CAC helps children:

1. Reduces Trauma:

Instead of a child having to tell their experiences multiple times to different agencies, CACs provide a safe, child-friendly environment where they can speak with a trained forensic interviewer just once. This minimizes re-traumatization.

2. Coordinates Services

CACs bring together professionals from various disciplines to collaborate on cases, ensuring that the child receives comprehensive care—medical exams, therapy, legal support, and protection—all in one coordinated effort.

3. Provides Forensic Interviews

Specially trained interviewers conduct developmentally appropriate, legally sound interviews that are recorded and used in investigations, reducing the need for children to testify repeatedly.

4. Offers Medical Exams

Children may receive medical evaluations to assess and document any physical signs of abuse, and to reassure them about their health and safety.

5. Delivers Mental Health Support

CACs often provide or refer children and their families to trauma-informed therapy, helping them heal emotionally and psychologically.

6. Supports Families

Family advocates help caregivers understand the process, access resources, and navigate the legal and child welfare systems.

7. Improves Legal Outcomes

By streamlining investigations and improving evidence collection, CACs often lead to more successful prosecutions of offenders.

The Dickinson Area Child Advocacy Center's mission is to provide a safe, neutral, and child-friendly environment for children and their families during child abuse and neglect investigations. 

We aim to enhance the coordinated team response in our community, ensuring every child receives compassionate, developmentally appropriate care and support throughout the investigative process and beyond.

The Dickinson Area Child Advocacy Center (DACAC) serves Dickinson, Iron, Florence, and Northern Marinette Counties. 

CACs operate within a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). 

MDTs are made up of professionals from different areas of expertise working towards the same goal: seeking justice and healing for child victims. 

The CAC’s multidisciplinary team comprises all the professionals and agencies needed to offer comprehensive services to child victims and their families, including law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, mental health, medical, and victim advocacy.

A forensic interview of a child is a developmentally sensitive and legally sound method of gathering factual information regarding allegations of abuse/neglect, or exposure to violence. 

This interview is conducted by a competently trained, neutral professional utilizing research and practice-informed techniques as part of a larger investigative process. 

When children and their nonoffending family members arrive at a child advocacy center, they come with different life experiences, backgrounds, and needs. 

The Role of the Advocate includes:

• Helping children and families feel safe and heard.
• Providing reassurance and comfort during a difficult time.
• Explaining the investigative process in a child-friendly way.
• Informing caregivers about their rights and available services.
• Linking families to therapy, medical care, legal aid, housing, or financial assistance.
• Coordinating with community services to meet the family's needs.
• Assisting families in immediate distress.
• Helping manage emotional reactions and safety concerns.
• Following up with families after the initial visit.
• Advocating for the child’s needs in school, court, or other settings.