To ensure that all children across the United States served by Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) receive consistent, evidence-based interventions that help them heal from abuse, hundreds of CACs have become Accredited Members of the National Children’s Alliance by meeting ten standards and verifying their adherence to the highest standards of practice by submitting to NCA site review. The Barren River Area Child Advocacy Center is an Accredited Member of the National Children’s Alliance and a Full Member of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Kentucky.
For Reaccreditation, CACs must show complete competency in the following standards:
Standard 1: Multidisciplinary Team
A multidisciplinary team for response to child abuse allegations includes representation from the following: law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, mental health, medical provider, victim advocacy, and a Children’s Advocacy Center.
Standard 2: Cultural Competency and Diversity
Culturally competent services are routinely made available to all CAC clients and coordinated with the Multi-disciplinary Team Response.
Standard 3: Forensic Interviews
Forensic Interviews are conducted in a manner that is legally sound, of a neutral, fact finding nature, and are coordinated to avoid duplicative interviewing.
Standard 4: Victim Support and Advocacy
Victim support and advocacy services are routinely made available to all CAC clients and their non-offending family members as part of the multidisciplinary team response.
Standard 5: Medical Evaluation
Specialized medical evaluation and treatment services are routinely made available to all CAC clients and coordinated with the Multidisciplinary Team response.
Standard 6: Mental Health
Specialized trauma-focused mental health services, designed to meet the unique needs of the children and non-offending family members, are routinely made available as part of the multi-disciplinary team response.
Standard 7: Case Review
A formal process in which multidisciplinary discussion and information sharing regarding the investigation, case status, and services needed by the child and family is to occur on a routine basis.
Standard 8: Case Tracking
Children’s Advocacy Centers must develop and implement a system for monitoring case progress and tracking case outcomes for all MDT components.
Standard 9: Organizational Capacity
A designated legal entity responsible for program and fiscal operations has been established and implements basic sound administrative policies and procedures.
Standard 10: Child-Focused Setting
The child-focused setting is comfortable, private, and both physically and psychologically safe for diverse populations of children and their non-offending family members.Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) provide children and families with healing and justice in a setting they can trust. We know they do because of survey responses that are collected each year from our caregivers and partners called the NCA’s Outcome Measurement System (OMS). This survey helps CACs define their successes in serving children and families while helping them benchmark their progress against the work of a nationwide movement. Here are a few comments from OMS surveys conducted to caregivers and MDT partners regarding their experience at the Barren River Area Child Advocacy Center:
“The way my daughter felt comfortable from the start, everyone was kind and open to her. I also received a lot of information on resources and help with keeping my child safe. I cannot think of anything that would have made this process any better. Thank you.” “
Environment was perfect and my son felt very comfortable. After the interview, my son expressed he enjoyed talking with the interviewer. He was never afraid or scared and that is real blessing.”
“The CAC does wonderful work and provides an amazing service. I enjoy working with all members of the MDT. It is a vital benefit to all involved.”