Cascade County Children’s Advocacy Center is a Nationally Accredited CAC
To understand what a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is, you must understand what children face without one. Without a CAC, the child may end up having to tell the worst story of his or her life over and over again, to doctors, cops, lawyers, therapists, investigators, judges, and others. They may have to talk about that traumatic experience in a police station where they think they might be in trouble, or may be asked the wrong questions by a well-meaning teacher or other adult that could hurt the case against the abuser.When police or child protective services believe a child is being abused, the child is brought to the CAC—a safe, child-focused environment—by a caregiver or other “safe” adult. At the CAC, the child tells their story once to a trained interviewer who knows the right questions to ask in a way that does not not retraumatize the child. Then, a team that includes medical professionals, law enforcement, mental health, prosecution, child protective services, victim advocacy, and other professionals make decisions together about how to help the child based on the interview. CACs offer therapy and medical exams, plus courtroom preparation, victim advocacy, case management, and other services. This is called the multidisciplinary team (MDT) response and is a core part of the work of CACs.
The Cascade County Children’s Advocacy Center is in a community partnership that works with a local Cascade County multidisciplinary team of professionals.
The Cascade County Children’s Advocacy Center
2300 12th Avenue South, Suite 114
Great Falls, MT 59405
Phone: 406-268-3756
Email: [email protected]
2300 12th Avenue South, Suite 114
Great Falls, MT 59405
Phone: 406-268-3756
Email: [email protected]
How CACs Help Kids from National Children’s Alliance on Vimeo.
To learn more about Children’s Advocacy Centers or to locate a Children’s Advocacy Center near you, please visit Children’s Alliance of Montana at https://childrensalliancemt.org/
If you suspect child abuse or neglect is happening, you don’t need proof. Call the Child Abuse Hotline today at 1-800-820-5437.