Our mission is to guide and support child victims of neglect, sexual and severe physical abuse and their families by coordinating investigative intervention, treatment, and prosecutorial services. We strive to be the resource facilitator for best practice in the field of child abuse investigations, treatment and prosecution.

Trains and supervises volunteer advocates, who are available for assignment by judges in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts in the 23rd Judicial District. Assignments are made by judges during legal proceedings to determine a child's permanent home placement, once abuse and neglect have been determined. Once appointed, CASA volunteers conduct investigations involving fact-finding interviews with the child and the child's family, social workers with the Department of Social Services, mental health service providers, school staff, or other professionals that are involved in the child's case. The investigation also involves observation of the child in his or her environment. CASA volunteers are part of an interdisciplinary coordination to recommend a plan of action to the judge. Recommendations are made regarding services that would benefit the child and the family, and with whom the child should live. CASA volunteers prepare reports in writing for the judge, and are regularly called to testify in court proceedings regarding their recommendations. CASA volunteers submit written reports to the courts at disposition and then at each subsequent hearing. The courts circulate CASA reports to all parties in the case. CASA volunteer duties and responsibilities are defined by Virginia Statute 6VAC20-1600-60.

Darkness to Light (D2L) - Stewards of Children introduces a curriculum that educates the community about child sexual abuse and surrounding issues. Information provided assists in identifying child abuse, child neglect, and child sexual abuse, and teaches community members how to report concerns of abuse and neglect. Skills developed in the D2L - Stewards of Children empower community members to share in the protection of children by effectively identifying, responding to and reporting child abuse.

SUBS "Speak Up Be Safe" is a comprehensive child abuse prevention curriculum designed for pre-school and Kindergarten through sixth grade students, which works as a tool to teach children the skills they need to play a significant role in prevention or interruption of child abuse in their own lives. Children are taught what abuse is; are given prevention skills including personal body safety rules ("Tools" they can put into their tool bags to draw on if needed); and are motivated into action if threatened or victimized.

A community-based program that serves alleged child abuse victims and non-offending family members with the goals of reducing trauma to alleged victims and prosecuting perpetrators of abuse and violence against children. The Center provides a non-threatening, child friendly environment where trained neutral forensic interviewers perform developmentally appropriate interviews with alleged child victims.

Foothills CAC receives referrals from law enforcement and Child Protective Services in nine jurisdictions (Charlottesville City and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna. Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, and Orange). We conduct forensic interviews, provide family advocacy--connecting families to local services, mental health counseling and on-site forensic medical exams. Our multidisciplinary teams are made up of law enforcement officers, child protective service personnel, prosecutors, lawyers, advocates, mental health therapists and medical personnel. Communication within the teams reduces duplication and mistakes, and keeps victims from falling through the cracks. Foothills CAC provides a child-friendly, safe and neutral location in which law enforcement and Child Protective Services investigators may conduct and observe forensic interviews with children who are alleged victims of crimes, and where the child and non-offending family members receive support, crisis intervention and referrals for mental health and medical treatment. Foothills also conducts trainings for professionals and the public about child abuse issues and the coordinated approach to child abuse investigations.

Counsels children and represents them at special education and public benefits hearings.

Multidisciplinary Team response to child abuse victims. Team response includes the communities of Franklin County, Henry County, the City of Martinsville, and Patrick County. Members participate on the community-based teams and review active abuse and neglect cases to make certain any services needed by victims are made available. This office facilitates forensic interviews, medical and clinical assessments, victim advocacy, and comprehensive case management. In addition, the team facilitates assisting victims in filing claims with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.

Offers a full child abuse continuum of care, from prevention to intervention to treatment. The goal is to prevent child abuse and to intervene effectively when abuse occurs. Effective intervention helps to minimize re-victimization by the systems designed to protect child victims. Prevention services take place in the home, in the community and in the school system. Intervention and treatment services for children who have been sexually or severely physically abused are provided on-site at SWVACAC locations within the Mountain Empire Older Citizens office complex in Big Stone Gap, in Clintwood and in Jonesville. The multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach brings together, under one umbrella, all the professionals and agencies needed to offer comprehensive services: law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, victim advocacy and the medical community. A specially trained professional conducts forensic interviews with the child victim, while team members observe and participate from behind a one-way mirror. This approach reduces the number of times children must repeat their stories of abuse. The initial contact person and the safe atmosphere are critical in the efforts to gain children's confidence and trust. Forensic evaluations are also available for children who may need an additional interview, due to age or development. Forensic evaluations resemble forensic interviews, but take place over a longer period of time. On-site therapy is provided to children who have been victims of abuse by a licensed, clinical social worker. Mental health treatment services include short-term mental health therapy, crisis intervention, assessment, case management, safety planning, criminal justice support and advocacy. Because child abuse does not affect only the child, but the entire family, the CAC also offers the Family Advocate program. This program provides case management, education and support to parents/caregivers to help them better understand the impact of child abuse. Treatment may consist of a variety of age appropriate therapies, including play/expressive, forensically sensitive, cognitive behavioral and other trauma-focused therapies. Parents/caregivers are vital to the healing process. Educating parents/caregivers about the impact of child abuse helps them to better understand a traumatized child's behaviors and how they can most effectively help their child to overcome the stress that abuse creates on a daily basis. Parents/caregivers also learn how to manage their own feelings and stress related to the abuse.

The Children's Advocacy Center of New River Valley (CACNRV) is a child-focused, community-based program created to ensure that children are not re-victimized by the very same system designed to protect them. The CACNRV is a single organization and facility that unites the people and services an abused child needs during the investigative process. Our goal is to reduce the emotional trauma to children during the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases. The CACNRV offers forensic interviews of children by a trained forensic interviewer in a child-friendly environment. Working with law enforcement, CPS investigators, Commonwealth Attorneys, victim advocates, forensic nurse examiners, mental health providers, and other relevant disciplines to these cases, the CACNRV works to provide children and their families with ongoing services throughout the investigative process and beyond.

Provides a non-profit agency whose mission is to promote a child-focused approach to the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse by providing a safe, child-friendly facility, a multidisciplinary team response to abuse allegations, and professional support, education and advocacy. Offers the following services: Safe, child-friendly facility including a reception/playroom, interview room (with capacity to videotape), resource library, administrative office; funding for assessment and counseling services for child victims; coordination and facilitation of regular MDT case review and tracking of all local cases of child abuse; training and education for child abuse professionals and the general public; victim support and advocacy.

The primary goal is to reduce the trauma a child may endure during the investigation and prosecution of child abuse and to increase positive emotional closing for children and their families, so that they may go on and lead a positive, healthy life. The CAC is an associate member of the National Children's Alliance, and the state chapter of CACs, Children's Advocacy Centers of Virginia.