Children's Advocacy Center of Tom Green County

Children's Advocacy Center of Tom Green County

Welcome to the
Children's Advocacy Center
of Tom Green County
Our mission is to champion the cause of
child abuse prevention and serve as an ally
of children who are abused and neglected.

Map to 317 Koberlin

HOW TO HELP:
Recent events have brought to our collective attention that our nation truly has a heart to help those in need. The Children's Advocacy Center has been caring for children in abuse or neglect situations for more than 15 years, and the process is always costly both in terms of money and personnel. More than ever before, we are in need of Court Appointed Special Advocates and financial contributions to sustain our programs. Please read on to see how you can help.

Click to provide financial assistance to the CAC. You can donate online with a credit card. All donations are secure and sent directly to Childrens Advocacy Center of Tom Green County, Inc. by Firstgiving, who will email you a printable record of your donation.

Become a Court Appointed Special Advocate:

Applications to become a CASA volunteer are now being accepted. Please download or call 653-4673 to have packet mailed to you.
Court Appointed Special Advocate job description
Minimum expectations of Court Appointed Special Advocates

Please complete and mail to 317 Koberlin, or fax to 653-5045

Must be willing to make 12-18 month committment

Must be at least 21 years old

Must complete screening interview & pass criminal background check

Must complete 30 hour training June 23-July 3, Monday thru Thursday 5:30-9:00pm

To report child abuse, call 1-800-252-5400
To make a report online, click here
What is child abuse? The definition

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Tom Green County, Inc. was founded in 1992 with one child abuse intervention program, Hope House. At the time, we served only Tom Green County. In the past 14 years, the Children’s Advocacy Center has grown in terms of outreach efforts and programs and services offered. With five programs serving 13 counties throughout the Concho Valley and West Texas, the Children’s Advocacy Center is uniquely designed to represent the needs of hurting children and families in our communities. Counties served include: Crockett, Coke, Concho, Sterling, Schleicher, Sutton, Irion, Regan, Runnels, and Tom Green.

Hope House is a facility that provides a warm, home-like environment for the children who are brought here for the interview process upon making an outcry of abuse or neglect. At Hope House, primary emphasis is placed on the safety and well being of the child in order to prevent further trauma of suffering and to maintain a minimal number of interviews so that re-victimization of the child does not occur.

CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates speak for children who been removed from their home due to abuse and/or neglect. CASA volunteers monitor the child's situation to make sure he or she remains safe. The CASA is instrumental in ensuring that a child or family receives services the court has ordered----counseling, substance abuse counseling or special medical or educational needs. The CASA will represent the best interests of the children they serve in a court of law when their home placement is to be determined.

The Child Fatality Review Team is comprised of community leaders involved in child death investigations and evaluates every child death in our community, with the ultimate goal of providing information which will reduce the number of preventable child deaths.

Family Enrichment Services was created in 2004 to meet the needs of families in the Concho Valley. An umbrella to four programs, Family Enrichment Services is geared at improving parenting and preventing child abuse. We offer Parents Anonymous® support groups and parenting classes by Family Connections. In addition, we formed the Concho Valley Family Alliance community partnership; a coalition of parents, community members, and agency partners who work together to combat child abuse in the Concho Valley.

Volunteers are an integral part of the Children’s Advocacy Center’s campaign against child abuse and neglect. Twenty-five community members serve on the Children’s Advocacy Center’s Board of Directors and provide oversight, guidance and an invaluable community link for staff, programs and clients. In addition, there is the ceaseless demand for CASA volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates for children who have been removed from the home due to abuse or neglect. We also need volunteers to assist with administrative duties, help with fundraisers, and mail-outs through the Hope House program. We need facilitators and assistants to staff with the Family Connections classes and Parents Anonymous support groups in Family Enrichment Services. Finally, the Concho Valley Family Alliance is always seeking parents, agencies, and community members to serve and assist with programs and events.   We can prevent child abuse with the help of parents, students, teachers, business professionals, retired men and women, civic organizations and YOU. Volunteers are part of this crucial project and impact the lives of children and families in our community daily.

Community outreach has always been and continues to be an important element of the Children’s Advocacy Center’s focus. The CAC staff work to involve the community through outreach campaigns during April's, “Child Abuse Prevention Month,” and during the year with the Shaken Baby Syndrome Initiative, as well as annual events and fundraisers. "Champagne and Diamonds" in February, the “No Show” Ball during July and August, and "Christmas for Kids " in December are year-around opportunities for community involvement and support for the programs of the Children’s Advocacy Center.

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