Children’s Advocacy Center

OUR PURPOSE:  The Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County provides a safe place for child abuse victims and their families to receive comprehensive services from dedicated professional interviewers, nurses, counselors and advocates in a child-friendly atmosphere through a coordinated team approach.

The Benton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has placed a deputy child abuse prosecutor at the Center who soley works to prosecute child abuse cases.  The child abuse prosecutor has won two maximum sentences of offenders in jury trials, a first in Benton County.  Prosecution of child abuse cases has increased 2,000 percent since the inception of the CAC in Benton County.

At the Advocacy Center the child is welcomed into a child-friendly environment dedicated to making this process easier for them with brightly decorated rooms equipped with toys and books to help put them at ease. Trained child advocates and volunteers walk them through the process.  All agencies including law enforcement, the prosecutor’s office and Department of Human Services are working together in one location for the benefit of the children.

Children may also return to the Center for counseling services with a licensed therapist.

All services are provided at no charge to families.

The medical room is painted blue with clouds and a rainbow.  A wall covered with stars is where children who have had an examination can sign their name acknowledging that they are one of our “Shining Stars.