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Forensic Interviews
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Crisis
Intervention & Victim Assistance |
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Interviews are conducted by specially trained forensic
interviewers at the request of law enforcement and/or
child protective services. Bi-lingual (Spanish) services
are available.
Interviews are video-taped to reduce the number of times
a child has to describe his/her abuse to multiple
persons involved in the intervention, investigation, and
prosecution process.
Assistance with obtaining written statements from
victims of abuse is also provided upon request of an
authorized agency. |
The Center provides:
* crisis intervention
* victim advocacy * case tracking *
referrals for assistance & specialized services
* help with Texas Crime Victim
Compensation
* on-site counseling for children and adults
* counseling & therapeutic referrals
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Medical Exams & Sexual Assault Response
Team |
Counseling/Therapy |
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Currently, the Children’s Advocacy Center
assists with necessary referrals for sexual abuse
examinations. The Center is a member of the Sexual
Assault Response Team (SART) and coordinates efforts
through this program to assist victims.
In July, 2008, the WCCAC
began providing
on-site, forensic medical examinations
at our new facility. On-site exams are conducted by specialized Sexual Assault Nurse
Examiners (SANE) in a child-sensitive environment.
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The Children’s
Advocacy Center has a full-time child and family therapist that provides
counseling services to child victims, child witnesses of
abuse, and non-offending family members
free of charge.
Children and teens who
have been interviewed at the WCCAC are eligible for counseling through our
On-Site counseling program, or if they have access to insurance, through our
Network Therapists from various cities within Williamson County.
If
you are
interested in becoming a Network Therapist, please contact our
Center at (512) 943-3701.
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Coordinated
Investigations |
Child Protection Team Case Review Meetings |
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WCCAC supports and helps coordinate joint
investigations of child abuse allegations to provide for
more effective and efficient handling of child abuse
cases.
This practice
also helps to provide a sense of security and consistency to the victims and
non-offending family members involved in the process.
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Dedicated professionals from law
enforcement, child protective services, prosecution,
medical & mental health, and victim service agencies
collaborate to: coordinate investigations, limit
(when possible) the number of times a child victim is
interviewed, provide a child-sensitive environment,
coordinate medical & mental health referrals, and
increase public awareness. Monthly meetings are
held to maintain communication & update progress. |
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Public
Awareness Programs |
Child Fatality Review
Team (CFRT) |
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The Center offers educational programs
free-of-charge
to the community.
If your civic/philanthropic organization, church group, school, business, or
other group is interested in a presentation, please contact our office at
(512) 943-3701 to schedule:
The
Center will be glad to conduct a presentation to fit
your interests and audience. |
The CFRT team
is comprised of child advocates, law enforcement, child
protective services, medical & mental health
professionals, EMS, DPS, firefighters, first responders,
and justices of the peace that research and review how
and why children die in our service area.
CFRT seeks to
improve accurate information for how & why child deaths occur, improve
response to child fatalities, and ultimately reduce the number of
preventable child deaths.
The Center is
an active member agency on the CFRT team. Judge Hobbs, coordinates &
facilitates the Child Fatality Review Team (CFRT) meetings for Williamson
County. |