Advocacy Network for Children

Advocacy Network for Children has three programs. The Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) program, Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA) program and Child Abuse Prevention program. 

The CAC program provides a safe, neutral, child-friendly environment where a child victim of sexual abuse or serious physical abuse and their non-offending family meet with the members of a multidisciplinary team of professionals for the purpose of investigation. CAC staff provides advocacy services and bridges the gap between social services, law enforcement, and the court system. 

CASA recruits, trains, and supervises volunteers who speak in the best interest of abused or neglected children in the court system. Once trained the community volunteers are appointed by a judge to speak up for abused or neglected children in court. CASA volunteers write court reports with assessments, concerns and recommendations. 

“P.S. It’s My Body-Happy Bear” is a research-based curriculum that teaches children safety strategies and is designed to decrease children’s risk of being abused.  Children learn to recognize welcome and unwelcome touches, practice saying “No” and moving away, and identify trusted adults they can report unwelcome touches to.  Children are reminded that they have the right to say “No” and that abuse is never their fault.