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The Children’s Advocacy Center Advisory Committee (CACAC) was established by Act 28 of 2014 to advise the Commission on the development and promotion of programs and projects related to children’s advocacy centers (CACs) and multidisciplinary investigative teams (MDITs).  The CACAC also advises the Commission in the distribution of grants to support both existing and developing CACs and MDITs throughout the Commonwealth.  The Committee is also responsible for the administration of Act 1 of 2013, better known as the Endowment Act.

CACs provide state-of-the-art treatment for the victims of child sexual abuse and child abuse.  They coordinate medical care, treatment and other social services for victims while gathering evidence, through age-appropriate forensic interviewing and other methods employed by MDITs, to build an effective case against the alleged offender.  By bringing medical professionals, social workers, prosecutors and police who specialize in child sexual abuse together under one roof, CACs are the most effective way to bring a perpetrator to justice.

The CACAC is comprised of a variety of experts representing district attorneys, children and youth services, child advocacy centers, state and municipal police, victim services, physicians, nurses, mental health professionals and hospital administrators.  All of the members of the committee have experience in the multidisciplinary investigation of child abuse through the operation of a CAC.

The mission of the CACAC is to support the enhancement and establishment of children’s advocacy centers and multidisciplinary investigative teams throughout this Commonwealth in order to promote prevention, treatment and justice for victims of child sexual abuse and child abuse.

Field Center Report

On May 15, 2014, Debra Shilling Wolfe of the Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice and Research at the University of Pennsylvania, and Ms. Richa Ranade presented their report to the CACAC on “Child Advocacy Center Statewide Plan Development: Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”  The report was commissioned by PCCD to meet the requirements of House Resolution 45, which directed PCCD to conduct a study of the current location of CACs in PA and make recommendations for additional locations.  The study can be found here: PCCD Report Statewide CAC Plan (PDF)