The California Network of Child Advocacy Centers

The California Network of Child Advocacy Centers is an accredited State Chapter of the National Children's Alliance  and is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization of child advocacy center programs in California. The organization is committed to expanding the network throughout California so that every child victim of abuse, neglect, and molestation has access to a professional child advocacy center (CAC) or multidisciplinary team (MDT).

The California Network of Child Advocacy Centers, or CNCAC is a membership organization with services available through more than 65 community based Child Advocacy Centers and Multidisciplinary Teams statewide.   Professional CAC/MDT members include Law Enforcement, Child Protective Services, Children and Family Services, Mental Health and Medical Services, Prosecutors, Victim Services, and community based organizations that support victims and the non-offending family members. 

CNCAC was founded in 1995 as an informal statewide organization committed to assisting multidisciplinary teams and CACs as they formed throughout California's 58 counties.  Today its membership has grown to 38 members, 17 of which are accredited members of NCA and 11 that are associated NCA members, serving children and families throughout California.

Services

CNCAC provides statewide communication, specialized training, technical assistance, education, legislative advocacy, research, standards and coordination.

Mission

CNCAC is a networking organization created to support existing and emerging Child Advocacy Centers, Multidisciplinary Interview Centers and Multidisciplinary Interview Teams and assist communities with an interest in forming a team or center.

Goals

The goals of CNCAC are to promote statewide training, education, coordination, funding, research, standards and legislative advocacy for CACs.

Funding

CNCAC is supported by the National Children's Alliance Chapter Support Grant, Western Regional CAC Training and Technical Assistance Support Grant, and the Children's Justice Act Task Force funding.  Additional grants are being sought for the purpose of formalizing the organization, building the necessary capacity of CNCAC to support new and emerging CACs throughout California, and to strengthen the sustainability of our existing CACs.

Management

The Statewide Co-Coordinators provide consultation, communication, technical assistance, outreach, training, networking and continued support of existing and emerging California multidisciplinary programs. Our Statewide Co-Coordinators, Jan Dunn and Nicole Farrell, MSW, can be reached at calmdic@comcast.net and nicolefarrellmsw@earthlink.net.

The business affairs of CNCAC are managed by its Board of Directors.  Board Members are elected to serve a two-year term.  The Executive Committee provides oversight of the Statewide Co-Coordinators. Members of the CNCAC Board of Directors serve without compensation for time invested.