DICKERSON CHILDRENS ADVOCACY CENTER INC
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Mission Statement
The mission of Dickerson Children’s Advocacy Center is to provide comprehensive assessment and treatment services to abused children ages 0-18 in the Midlands. Abuse victims have access to child trauma experts in forensic interviewing, medical exams, and mental health therapy to nurture healing and mitigate the life-altering effects of abuse and trauma. Child maltreatment is comprised of physical/sexual abuse, neglect, trafficking, and exposure to violence and drugs.
About This Cause
Childhood abuse is often linked to mental health challenges throughout the lifespan including an increased risk of depression and suicide. Many times, child abuse victims exhibit behavioral and mental health challenges that may appear as irritability, depression, negative behaviors, difficulty sleeping, and other traumatic stress symptoms. Often, they engage in numerous health-compromising behaviors, which – if left unidentified and untreated – create negative patterns of behavior leading to costly health needs and limited employability that continues into adulthood. The goal of the CAC model is to lessen further victimization of the child and creating a pathway of hope, healing, and justice is always our objective. Without a CAC, the child is forced to tell their story over and over to untrained personnel in frightening places (police car, ER), which further intensifies the trauma already suffered by the child. DCAC delivers a holistic incubator of integrated services to identify and treat child maltreatment and create a pathway of hope and healing for child abuse victims to thrive! The audio/visual recorded interview is observed “live” by victim response agencies (law enforcement, social services) for rapid response to their safety. Afterward, the child receives a comprehensive medical exam and possibly lab work. The results of the interview and exam dictate the formation of a safety and treatment plan. Our skilled advocates help the families navigate critical resources ranging from access to nutritional food, financial mentoring, financial resources for victims, and support for any immediate needs. Child trauma impacts the entire family unit – we need the support of the DeLoache Family Foundation to empower our expertise and experience so, together, families in crisis can access services that lift them toward resiliency, recovery, and wholeness – at no cost. We also serve as child trauma experts to local schools and participate in community events to increase awareness and understanding of how to identify child abuse, next step practices, mandated reporter requirements, new protocols, and sharing of critical resources. We mobilize services to impoverished, rural areas to reduce transportation and cultural barriers and build a bridge of trust. DCAC convenes a multidisciplinary team of professionals representing key victim response agencies to mitigate gaps in systems coordination and to ensure each child’s safety and well-being are prioritized. Each month, the collective authority of this team is dedicated to reviewing all new confirmed child abuse cases and monitoring the progress of previous cases to reduce system failures that place the child at greater risk.