The Tri-County Children's Advocacy Center is a nonprofit organization that assists in coordinating the efforts of child protective services, law enforcement, family advocates, medical experts, and mental health clinicians under one roof. This cohesive and collaborative response of the child advocacy center model minimizes the stress and trauma the children and families experience while maximizing the investigation's quality. The Tri-County CAC keeps the child and their families informed, up to date, and prepared for each step of the investigation and potential court proceedings involved with their case.

When police or child protective services believe a child may be experiencing abuse, 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 retraumatize the child. Then, based on the interview, 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. CACs offer therapy, medical exams, courtroom preparation, victim advocacy, case management, and other services.

 

The overall purpose of the Tri-County CAC is to provide a safe and child-friendly environment for children and their families to receive services, resources, and support throughout the journey toward healing and justice. We serve children in Chambers, Randolph, and Tallapoosa County, ages 3 to 18. All services offered through the Tri-County CAC are free of cost to the families that we serve. Our agency is a victim-focused, community-oriented, child-friendly facility that seeks to end child abuse.