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2023-Accreditation-Standards
(effective January 1, 2023)
2023-Putting-Standards-into-Practice
(effective January 1, 2023)
2023 Optional Standards (CSEC, Child Abuse Prevention & Child Physical Abuse)
Training for CACs – April 2023 (Resource Guide)
10 STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITATION
Standard 1: Multidisciplinary Team
A multidisciplinary team for response to child abuse allegations includes representation from law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, medical, mental health, victim advocacy, and Children’s Advocacy Centers fields.
Standard 2: Cultural Competency & Diversity
The Children’s Advocacy Center provides culturally competent services for all CAC clients throughout the life of the case.
Standard 3: Forensic Interviews
Forensic interviews are conducted in a manner that is legally sound, of a neutral, fact-finding nature, and are coordinated to avoid duplicative interviewing.
Standard 4: Victim Support & Advocacy
Victim support and advocacy services are provided to all CAC clients and their caregivers as part of the multidisciplinary team response.
Standard 5: Medical Evaluation
Specialized medical evaluation and treatment services are available to all CAC clients and coordinated as part of the multidisciplinary team response.
Evidence-based, trauma-focused mental health services, designed to meet the unique needs of the children and caregivers, are consistently available as part of the multidisciplinary response.
A formal process in which multidisciplinary discussion and information sharing regarding the investigation, case status, and services needed by the child and family is to occur on a routine basis.
Children’s Advocacy Centers must develop and implement a system for monitoring case progress and tracking case outcomes for all MDT components
Standard 9: Organizational Capacity
A designated legal entity responsible for program and fiscal operations has been established and implements basic sound administrative policies and procedures.
Standard 10: Child-Focused Setting
The child-focused setting is comfortable, private, and both physically and psychologically safe for diverse populations of children and their family members.
CACWA works with CACs and multidisciplinary partners (MDTs) to facilitate a coordinated response to allegations of child abuse and supports professionals in the field through training, technical assistance, research, funding, and advocacy.
