CAC staff are not CPS Case Managers or Police Officers. CAC staff work alongside CPS and Police to make the investigation process more cohesive and family-friendly. 

A forensic interview is a child-friendly, non-leading way to allow children to tell their story. Forensic interviewers are trained to work with children at various ages and stages of development. CACs were created to be a safe, trauma-informed, neutral place.

CPS or Law Enforcement must receive a report and open an investigation. Your investigator will contact you to set up a date and time for the interview. 

Caregivers cannot be present in the room during the interview. Every child is given the opportunity to tell their story on their own. Only the forensic interviewer will be present in the room. Although it can be difficult for children to talk about what has happened, most children are comfortable separating from their parents and talking with our Forensic Interviewer. The child is able to leave at any time. Caregivers will remain in the lobby and speak to one of our family advocates.

CAC1st staff cannot take child abuse reports. If you need to report child abuse, please call the child abuse hotline at 877-237-0004.

No, CAC1st staff cannot offer legal advice and are not court-appointed advocates. 

Only children who have been interviewed at the CAC can receive therapy services. Families have one year from the child's interview date to ask us to add their child to the waitlist.

CAC1st partners with other community organizations to host education caregivers lessons, however we do not offer classes in our building and are

not certified to teach court-appointed parenting classes.