CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER OF LAWRENCE COUNTY
SERVING LAWRENCE COUNTY
AMOUNT DONATED: $0
The Children’s Advocacy Center of Lawrence County, Inc. (CAC), founded in 1989, is a nonprofit serving child abuse victims and their caregivers. Its mission is to stop child abuse and inspire hope through intervention, prevention, education, and outreach. The CAC provides trauma-informed, evidence-based services, including forensic interviews, non-acute medical exams, and mental health therapy. It also coordinates the county’s Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT). Prevention programs include Parents as Teachers home visiting for young families, Promoting Responsible Fatherhood, family reunification services, and specialized parenting groups, all designed to strengthen families and reduce the risk of abuse and neglect.
Giving Week Progress:
FUNDRAISING GOAL: $5,000
Programs Supported by Your Donations
The Children’s Advocacy Center provides comprehensive services to support children and families impacted by abuse. Forensic interviews offer a safe, structured way for children to share their experiences while minimizing trauma; 122 were conducted last year, with numbers expected to increase. Advocacy and support services help caregivers navigate complex systems following disclosure, stabilizing families and improving outcomes.
Mental health services deliver trauma-informed therapy to children and caregivers, promoting healing and preventing long-term emotional and developmental harm. Demand exceeds capacity, with 70 children served last year and others on a waiting list due to limited clinical staff.
The Fatherhood Program uses the evidence-based 24:7 Dad curriculum to strengthen parenting skills, build healthy relationships, and support responsible, nurturing father figures. Home visiting services, using the Parents as Teachers model, focus on early childhood development and school readiness through personalized, relationship-based support tailored to each family.
Parenting classes and Parent Cafés provide opportunities for shared learning and connection. Participants engage in self-reflection and peer support, explore their strengths, learn about Protective Factors, and develop strategies to strengthen their families and promote resilience.
Needs that Cannot beMet without Your Help
Over the past two years, the CAC has faced significant reductions in state and federal funding, creating unmet service demands. A 12% cut to intervention funding resulted in the loss of one staff position and delayed hiring of an additional therapist, increasing waitlists for advocacy and trauma-informed therapy. Reduced funding has also limited staff training, critical in a rapidly evolving field. Prevention programs experienced a 15% reduction, restricting the expansion of home visiting and parenting services. As a result, the CAC is unable to meet growing community needs or serve all families seeking support.
