What We Do

What We Do

Children’s Advocacy Centers are child-focused programs in which representatives from many disciplines, including law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical and victim advocacy, and child advocacy, work together to conduct interviews and make team decisions about investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child abuse cases. Generally a CAC is a neutral area and is designed specifically to create a feeling of safety and security for the children involved.


There are currently 13 CACs and/or Multidisciplinary Teams (MDT’s) in Vermont, serving all 14 counties. Thus ensuring a family in crisis will not have to travel far for help.



There are 8 CAC’s in Vermont that hold accreditation through the National Children’s Alliance. Learn more about what it takes to be an accredited CAC here. We also have five CACs who have applied for and received associate membership to the National Children’s Alliance.



The CAC Model

Changing the Child Abuse System

The first Child Advocacy Center was founded in 1985 in Huntsville, Alabama. Before that, a child was interviewed repeatedly by many professionals; from their teacher to whom they have disclosed, to the school nurse, to the school counselor, to the principal to law enforcement, to child welfare services etc. Often, in repeating the story over and over, the child was re-traumatized.


Now, all that has changed. There are currently 13 CACs and/or Multidisciplinary Teams (MDT’s) in Vermont, serving all 14 counties. Thus ensuring a family in crisis will not have to travel far for help. There are 8 CAC’s in Vermont that hold accreditation through the National Children’s Alliance. 

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