Children’s Advocacy Center
What we believe
The CrossRoads Children's Advocacy Center strongly believes that child sexual abuse is a community problem, and the center is committed to confronting it in a manner that builds strong ties among agencies involved in intervention while ensuring less trauma to the child victim and his or her family during an investigation and the healing process. No single agency or individual has the skills or resources to provide the assistance needed by sexually abused children and their supportive family members.
Interagency Coordination
Under a written agreement with local agencies, clients involved in cases of child sexual abuse and incest are referred to the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC). The CAC provides a child-friendly location for interviewing victims along with necessary equipment and tools the investigators may need to perform a thorough investigation. This process cuts down on the number of interviews a child must participate in as well as the number of different people a child must discuss difficult information with. All involved disciplines can coordinate their efforts and reduce the emotional effect of an investigation on the child victims and their non-offending family members. This team approach facilitates victim recovery through the use of a consistent and safe environment for interviews as well as strengthening the chance for successful criminal prosecution through more detailed investigations.
All cases that come through the CAC are staffed at weekly Review Team meetings where recommendations for further investigation and/or treatment are made. The Review Team meets at the CrossRoads office and is coordinated by CrossRoads staff. The team consists of professionals who respond to child sexual abuse including representatives from the following areas: Alamance County District Attorney's office, Alamance County Department of Social Services, Alamance-Caswell Area Mental Health, law enforcement agencies, Guardian ad Litem, and Alamance Regional Medical Center.
Child-friendly waiting area
CrossRoads has a child-friendly waiting area with a variety of toys, books, and art supplies that are appropriate for various ages along with a television and VCR. There is also an interview/counseling room especially designed for children that has smaller furniture and age appropriate interviewing tools. The CAC has video/audio taping capabilities along with a "talk back" system where the interviewer is wired with an earpiece so that observers can communicate directly with the interviewer without being disruptive to the interview itself.
Nationally certified
CrossRoads' CAC opened in 1996 and is a nationally accredited center certified by the National Children's Alliance (formerly the National Network of Children's Advocacy Centers).