Children's Advocacy Center
Children's Advocacy Center
Mission Statement The Children’s Advocacy Center of Hernando County is dedicated to reducing trauma to victims of child abuse and their families through intervention, prevention, and education. The Multidisciplinary Team is the heart of the CAC’s response to effectively and efficiently coordinate services to promote hope and healing to the child victims and their families. What is a Children’s Advocacy Center? A Children’s Advocacy Center is a child focused, facility based program in which representatives from many different disciplines law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical and victim’s advocacy work together, conducting joint forensic interviews and making team decisions about the investigation, treatment, management, and prosecution of child abuse cases. It only takes one word, one conversation, one moment to make a difference in the life of a child. Our History The Children’s Advocacy Center of Hernando County (CACHC) began as a Task Force comprised of concerned citizens in July 2002. Concerns included the lack of a centralized facility and staff to facilitate service provision to process a case from report to healing. What we do • Medical Exams performed at the CAC by University of Florida (UF) Child Protection Team (CPT) • Forensic Interviews performed at the CAC by UF CPT Specialized Interviews, social assessments, and consults performed at the CAC by UF CPT • On-Site Therapy • Non-Offending Caregiver Group • Advocacy for child victims and their families • On Call Advocacy • Case Coordination • Case Management • Scheduling MDTs • Facilitating MDTs • Prevention and Education in the Community • Parent Education Programs • Attend DCF Staffings • Referrals • Training • Victim Compensation Assistance FAQ How should I respond to disclosure of child abuse? 1. Remain calm. A child may take back information (recant) or stop talking if he/she senses a strong reaction. 2. Listen without passing judgment. Most children know their abusers and often feel confused and conflicted by abuse. 3. Tell the child you are glad that he/she told someone. 4. Assure the child that the abuse is not his/her fault. 5. Do what you can to make certain that the child is safe from further abuse. 6. Do not investigate the situation yourself. Call police (911) or the FloridaChild Abuse Hotline – 1-800-96-abuse or 1-800-962-2873. What are the signs and symptoms of sexual child abuse? Children are routinely taught to speak up if someone approaches them in a sexual way. To make our community safe, adults must act on their commitment to keep our children safe by learning to recognize and respond to inappropriate behaviors around children before a child is harmed. Look for things such as: • personality changes such as becoming insecure or clinging • regressing to younger behavior patterns such as thumb sucking or bringing out discarded cuddly toys • sudden loss of appetite or compulsive eating • isolated or withdrawn • inability to concentrate • lack of trust or fear of someone they know well, such as not wanting to be alone with a babysitter • bed-wetting • day or nightmares • worried about clothing being removed • being overly affectionate or knowledgeable in a sexual way inappropriate to the child's age • suddenly drawing sexually explicit pictures • medical problems such as chronic itching, pain in the genitals, venereal disease • Unexplained gifts, money, special privileges What are Possible Perpetrator Indicators? Grooming ~ deliberate actions taken by an adult to form a trusting relationship with a child with the intent of later having sexual contact. • Taking an excessive interest in someone’s child (text messaging, seeking time alone). • Giving gifts or money to the child for no apparent reason. • Talking about topics that are not appropriate for age or relationship (child’s experience with dating or sexual acts, adult topics). • Initiating physical contact with child (tickling, wrestling, lap sitting, kissing, hugging). • Allowing child to have special privileges or break the rules. REMEMBER: Not all perpetrators are adults! Do children live at the Children’s Advocacy Center? How is the Children’s Advocacy Center funded? Our Partners: Department of Children and Families University of Florida Child Protection Team Office of the Attorney General National Children’s Alliance Kid's Central, Inc. Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Hernando County State Attorney’s Office Florida Network of Children’s Advocacy Center United Way of Hernando County Prevention and Education Programs Non-Offending Caregiver Group Services • Medical Exam • Forensic Interviews • Specialized Interviews • Social Assessments • Consults • On-site Therapy Mailing Address: Mailing Address: Phone: (352) 754-8809 Fax Number: (352) 754-6154
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Donate How You Can Help Mid Florida Community Services, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that depends on the generosity of individuals and organizations to support the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hernando County. If you would like to help make a difference in the lives of abused and neglected children in our community, please print the donation form and follow the instructions included on form. CLICK HERE to print Donation Form.About Us
YOU Make A DifferenceHistory
In January 2006, Mid Florida Community Services, Inc. accepted the CAC as a program within its agency and provided office space and a conference area for the Multidisciplinary Team to meet.
A full time Child Advocate was employed in June 2006, a Victim of Crimes Act (VOCA) grant was received for October 2006-07 and a grant through the National Children’s Alliance was awarded for 2007 to expand the space of the CACHC. Currently, the CACHC employs a full-time Program Coordinator who oversees the day-to-day operations of the CACHC, as well as provides advocacy to all the child victims served at the CACHC.
The CACHC currently houses the University of Florida Child Protection Team. A specially trained Pediatrician and medical staff, with the Child Protection Team, conduct medical exams at the CACHC. The Child Protection Team also performs specialized and forensic interviews as well as social assessments and consults.
The CACHC provides Multidisciplinary Team staffing(s) and case tracking. Once the medical exam and/or forensic interviews are complete, therapy can begin at the CACHC. On site counseling is available at the CACHC which is the key in reducing the amount of trauma that the child victims face.What We Do
FAQ
No. Children only come to the center for interviewing, medical exams, and counseling.
The Children’s Advocacy Center is a non-profit organization that is funded through grants, donations, and our fundraising efforts.Our Partners
www.myflorida.com/cf_web/
www.doh.state.fl.us/cms/
Office of Victims of Crime
www.myfloridalegal.com
www.nca-online.org
www.kidscentralinc.org
www.hernandosheriff.org
www.hernandocounty.us
www.fncac.org
www.unitedwayhernando.com Prevention and Education
Services
Contact Us
Contact Us
880 Kennedy Boulevard
Brooksville, FL 34601
P.O. Box 896
Brooksville, FL 34605-0896 Donate
