10th Judicial District Children’s Advocacy Center

Mission: To assist children and families victimized by child sex abuse and/or severe physical abuse.

The  10^th Judicial District Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) was born from the local community’s recognition of the need to assist children and families victimized by child sex abuse and/or severe physical abuse. Recognition of this need mobilized many individuals in the community to support the creation of a CAC, which was established in the year 2000 as an extension of the already growing Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program. Our Center provides services for children and families in Bradley, McMinn, Monroe, and Polk counties. CAC is part of The Hope Center, Inc, a 501(c)3 organization.

• Forensic Interview – Forensic interviews are interviews with a child victim of sexual or physical abuse that is meant to gather narrative evidence in a legally defensible and non-leading manner.
• Forensic Medical Exam – These exams are non-evasive and very similar to a basic well-child exam. They can be crucial in the collection of evidence, but the exams are also important in providing children and their parents/caregivers peace of mind.
• Family Advocacy – The family advocate’s primary role is to ensure the family, as a whole, has the resources and information necessary for the child’s resiliency.
• Court Advocacy – At times, a child’s case may enter the criminal justice system. A Court Advocate will educate families about the criminal justice system, provide families with updates and notifications regarding court dates and case developments, and assist with communication between the parties involved with the case.
• Counseling – Thanks to our collaboration with Omni Community Health, The Children’s Advocacy Center is able to offer counseling services to each of our referred clients.