Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County
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Mission Statement
The Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County (CAC) is Suffolk County’s frontline responder to reports of child sexual abuse, serious physical abuse, and commercial sexual exploitation of children under age 18. Its mission is to unite public, private and community partners to ensure safety, healing and justice for children and families impacted by abuse, violence, and exploitation. Each year, the CAC supports approximately 1,600 children who have experienced abuse or commercial exploitation.
About This Cause
The CAC is Suffolk County’s only not-for-profit organization that coordinates the efforts of child protection, law enforcement, prosecutors, advocates, medical and mental health experts to provide a prompt and sensitive interagency response to child abuse. Established in 1995, the CAC was created to ensure child victims and their families could access streamlined, expert care and receive all necessary services at a single child-friendly location. In 2006, the CAC moved to the Family Justice Center of Boston and expanded its on-site services to include specialized medical and mental health care. Today, as an accredited member of the National Children’s Alliance, the CAC works with interagency partners to provide high-quality, specialized victim-centered services and evidenced-based mental health treatment so children and families impacted by abuse can take their first steps toward healing. It coordinates multidisciplinary team investigations, conducts specialized forensic interviews, and delivers comprehensive services – all under one roof. The CAC's team of compassionate experts work together with interagency partners to focus on what matters most: child safety and healing. To effectively support child abuse victims, mitigate risk of re-traumatization, and prevent future harm, a coordinated intervention addressing the physical, emotional, and legal dimensions of abuse is essential. Multidisciplinary collaboration is the foundation of all CAC services so all child victims can benefit from comprehensive interventions and care. Programs include: Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) Coordination: The MDT responds quickly, thoroughly assesses concerns of abuse, and determines the best response with and for each child and family. Law enforcement, child protective services, medical and mental health professionals, social workers, prosecutors, and victim advocates come together to learn as much as they can about a child’s exposure to violence or abuse and create an action plan for support and safety. Forensic Interviews: A single, sensitive, and non-leading interview conducted by a specially trained expert. These interviews provide children with a safe place to talk about what they have endured, and effectively minimize the number of times a child is questioned about a traumatic incident. Forensic interviews typically involve a child speaking one-to-one with a skilled interviewer, while MDT members observe the conversation through a one-way mirror. In 2023, 240 interviews were conducted—that’s at least one interview every business day. Medical Services: A Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner provides specialized and trauma-informed medical care, including forensic examinations and evidence collection, evaluation, and consultation for children who have experienced abuse or exploitation. In 2023, our Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner met with 39 children and engaged in 27 forensic interviews or case reviews. Support to End Exploitation Now (SEEN): SEEN is a nationally recognized prevention and intervention program for high-risk youth and child trafficking victims. SEEN coordinates the Multi-Disciplinary Team response to commercial sexual exploitation in Suffolk County and creates a safety net for some of the most vulnerable youth in the community. In 2023, the SEEN program received 285 referrals, which represents an annual increase of 31%. Mental Health & Family Resources: The CAC offers specialized, evidence-based, trauma-informed mental health services that support healing after abuse. Specific interventions include: Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI) - A short-term, evidence-based intervention to help reduce trauma symptoms following exposure to violence or abuse; and Problematic Sexual Behavior Cognitive Behavior Therapy (PSB-CBT) - An evidence-based intervention for children who are having difficulty with sexual behavior. In 2023, the Mental Health team provided 353 specialized therapeutic intervention sessions, which represents an annual increase of 31%. Training & Education Program: The CAC raises awareness about child abuse and provides professionals and community members with the skills to recognize abuse and exploitation, assist, and take appropriate steps to respond when abuse has occurred. In 2023, the Training & Outreach team provided over 120 trainings to a total of 5880 participants. That represents an annual increase of 55% in the number of trainings and 76% increase in participants. Data Program: The CAC’s data program strives to ensure accurate data collection, data monitoring, and quality assurance, as well as develop program evaluation processes, and design and implement strategies to measure CAC program outcomes more effectively.