Our Mission
Our mission is to reduce trauma to child abuse victims. We coordinate a professional, multidisciplinary approach that provides assessment, treatment, and education in a safe, child-friendly environment.
About Us
The William W. Barnes Children's Advocacy Center is dedicated to providing a safe and supportive environment for children in Rogers, Craig, and Mayes Counties. Our center offers essential services such as interviews, medical care, case reviews, victim advocacy, and multidisciplinary programs. We prioritize meeting the unique needs of each child, ensuring their safety, reducing the number of interviews they have to go through, coordinating activities among agencies, and providing comprehensive support to families.
The Center is a non-profit organization serving the families of Rogers, Craig and Mayes Counties and is comprised of those entities concerned with the well-being of our children.
In recognition of the need to treat children humanely and with dignity, the Center coordinates a team approach to the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse. Law enforcement officers, physicians, child protection workers, victim advocates, therapists and prosecutors work together to meet the needs of children and their families.
The Center provides investigation, intervention, education, treatment and support services in a nurturing environment. This cooperative approach improves the recovery of the child and promotes an effective, thorough investigation. Children victimized by physical and sexual abuse deserve a response that recognizes their special needs. Only through such sensitivity can children begin the healing process.
It is their right and our responsibility.
Historically, each agency has operated independently, often duplicating efforts, which resulted in unnecessary trauma for the child. By unifying our efforts we are able to coordinate instead of duplicate.
Our Purpose
When police or child protective services believe a child is being abused, the child is brought to the CAC—a safe, child-focused environment—by a caregiver or other “safe” adult. At the CAC, the child tells their story once to a trained interviewer who knows the right questions to ask in a way that does not re-traumatize the child. Then, a team that includes medical professionals, law enforcement, mental health, prosecution, child protective services, victim advocacy, and other professionals make decisions together about how to help the child based on the interview.
CACs offer therapy and medical exams, plus courtroom preparation, victim advocacy, case management, and other services. This is called the multidisciplinary team (MDT) response, and is a core part of the work of CACs. Without this coordinated effort, child abuse victims would be subjected to retelling a traumatizing event to various individuals at different times and locations throughout the community.
Without the William W. Barnes Child Advocacy Center
With the William W. Barnes Child Advocacy Center
Our Goals
reduce trauma
Recognize and respond to the child's needs
Create a safe atmosphere in a child-friendly setting
Reduce the number of interviews the child must undergo
Coordinate the activities of agency professionals
Address and help meet the needs of the victim's family
Our Results
Promotion of the healing process
Reduction of trauma for all involved
