The Child Advocacy Center of Northeast MO

HEALING - HELPING - HOPE

RESPONDING TO CHILD ABUSE THROUGH A SUPPORTIVE TEAM APPROACH TO REDUCE THE TRAUMA TO CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

 

We are a child advocacy center serving child victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse and children who witness violence.

Services we provide include forensic interviews, advocacy, mental health therapy, safe exams, and school and community based prevention education program.

The primary goal of The Child Center, Inc., a child advocacy center (CAC), is to ensure that children disclosing abuse are not further victimized by the intervention systems designed to protect them. “What happens to a child victim once he or she discloses?”  Mandated reporters, professionals working with children and other adults, are required to report suspected abuse or neglect to the Missouri Children’s Division Hotline and/or law enforcement.  Following the hotline report, if the information reported rises to the level of an investigation, representatives from Children’s Division and law enforcement will talk with the child and ascertain the child’s immediate safety.  A referral to The Child Center, Inc. for a forensic interview will follow.  Referrals can only be made by Children’s Division or law enforcement.

The Child Center, Inc. is a child-focused place where a comprehensive, coordinated approach is taken in response to allegations of child sexual and physical abuse occurring in our 14 county service area.  Specially trained child forensic interviewers, law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors, child and family advocates, mental health therapists, and medical personnel form a team to make decisions about investigation, treatment, management, and prosecution of child abuse cases.  Each agency or professional has a different role in the investigation and intervention process.

The CAC model is based on the belief that the combined professional wisdom and skill of the multidisciplinary team approach results in a more complete understanding of case issues and the most effective child- and family-focused system response possible.

Service Area

Clark, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Ralls, Scotland, Schuyler, Shelby, St. Charles & Warren