Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas provides local children's advocacy centers (CACs) throughout Texas with ongoing support and assistance in a variety of ways, including:
TrainingCACTX is dedicated to elevating the expertise of those individuals and agencies who work with child abuse victims and their supportive family members within CAC settings. As a central resource for information and technical assistance, CACTX offers educational opportunities for CAC staff, local board members and professionals who make up local multidisciplinary teams including prosecutors, law enforcement and child protection investigators, mental health and medical professionals, victim advocates and more. CACTX Training offerings include:
- CACTX Annual Conference (for staff, board and team members of local centers)
- Forensic Interview Training (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Levels)
- Customized Multidisciplinary Team Training (for new and for established teams)
- Team Leadership Training
- Team Facilitation Training
- Non-Profit Management Training for New Directors
- Case Tracking Training (Beginner and Advanced Levels)
- Customized Trainings for Local CAC Boards
- Developing a Children's Advocacy Center - How to Begin
Site Visits
Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas staff visit each new center annually for the first three years and then conduct follow-up visits every three years thereafter. During these visits, CACTX program specialists meet with the staff, director, local board members, and child abuse professionals on the local multidisciplinary team to offer information, ideas, assessment and suggestions for continued growth and stability. CACTX staff help the center ensure that it is meeting its contractual eligibility requirements, is in compliance with Texas Standards for CACs and all related statutory requirements, and is abreast of statewide trends and new developments.
Requests for Information
Children's Advocacy Centers throughout Texas have access to the services of CACTX via phone, fax, or email, allowing them to request information and vital resources relevant to topics such as:
- Contractual and funding requirements
- CAC Standards and Statutes
- Core and enhanced program services
- CAC multidisciplinary team issues
- Human resources issues
- Fund development ideas
- Financial and general management issues
- Board development issues
Technical Assistance Manuals
To furnish Children's Advocacy Centers in Texas with the latest information, CACTX has available a variety of technical support manuals including:
- Human Resource Management and Development
- Financial Management
- Facility Management
- Fund Development
- Volunteer and Board Development
- Standards of Excellence An Organizational Self Evaluation Tool
- Child Abuse Prevention Month Activities
- Children's Advocacy Center Texas Legislation (Tex. Family Code Chapter 264)
- Texas Standards for CACs
- Organizational Development Manual for CACs (published by Western Regional CAC, Colorado)
- A Four-Step Methodology Needs Assessment Manual (published by the Northeast Regional CAC, Philadelphia)
Case Tracking
Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, in conjunction with the Children's Protection Network, Inc., has developed a web-based case management system that allows local children's advocacy centers to track children and their cases throughout the investigation, prosecution and intervention process. The case tracking system also provides centers with demographic data valuable for grant reporting and program evaluation. This system provides a vital tool in the assessment and evaluation of local CAC services and identifying areas in need of resource investment as a center evolves over time. This system is made available to all member centers in Texas.
Resource Library
CACTX provides a free lending library for all Texas CACs. The library includes books, pamphlets, videos, and other resource materials reflective of the latest information on child abuse interviewing, investigations, current trends in child abuse assessment, managing a nonprofit entity, and other relevant topics.
Director Mentoring Program
Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas oversees a one-year program that pairs a new CAC director with an experienced director of an established program to accelerate the learning process and facilitate center success. Mentor and mentored share information and best practices for strengthening interagency relationships, building understanding among members of the multidisciplinary team, growing new program components, working with a board of directors, managing resources, and more.
Team Excellence Awards
Each year Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas provides its local member centers with an opportunity to recognize the volunteers and professionals who dedicate themselves to the work of children's advocacy centers through its annual Team Excellence Awards program. These awards are presented at a special ceremony and reception held in conjunction with the CACTX Annual Conference and includes the following categories: Law Enforcement, Child Protective Services, Prosecution, Medical, Mental Health, CAC Program Staff, CAC Director, CAC Direct Service Volunteer, and CAC Board of Directors Volunteer.
