The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of Putnam County opened in October 1999 to provide a coordinated response to child abuse allegations. The CAC is a government-based program under the Putnam County Department of Social Services.
The CAC provides a child-friendly setting, putting the child and family at ease while coordinating the essential services of forensic interviews, medical evaluations, mental health assessments and victim support and advocacy. The CAC is deeply committed to serving child victims with sensitivity, understanding, competence and compassion. All cases of child sexual abuse, serious physical abuse and domestic violence involving or witnessed by children are investigated by the CAC’s specially trained multidisciplinary team. Although team members come from various disciplines, the team has one goal: to reduce the trauma to child victims and their families by providing a coordinated response to abuse allegations.
Awareness and prevention education may be the most effective means of protecting children and preventing child abuse. The CAC’s programming focuses on innovative initiatives and partnerships with local agencies to ensure the physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being of the children of Putnam County.
ACCREDITATIONS
The National Children’s Alliance (NCA)
NCA is the national association and accrediting body for a network of more than 800 Children’s Advocacy Centers—CACs. NCA provides support, advocacy, quality assurance, and national leadership for CACs, all to help support the important work that CACs do in communities across the country.
To ensure that all children across the U.S. served by Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) receive consistent, evidence-based interventions that help them heal from abuse, hundreds of CACs have become Accredited Members of NCA by meeting our Standards for Accredited Members and verifying their adherence to the highest standards of practice by submitting to NCA site review.
The National Children’s Alliance
The CAC of Putnam County has been recognized as an NCA Accredited Member since 2004.
MANAGEMENT ADVISORY BOARD
The CAC Program Coordinator works closely with the Management Advisory Board that includes: the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services, Mental Health and Youth Bureau, the Putnam County Executive, the District Attorney of Putnam County, the Sheriff of Putnam County, the Executive Director of the Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center, the Program Director of Mental Health Counseling and Treatment Services of CoveCare, and other key agency representatives. The Advisory Board meets quarterly to ensure that the Center is operating according to grant specifications and meeting its milestones.
ROBERT V. TENDY
Putnam County District Attorney
KEVIN J. McCONVILLE
Putnam County Sheriff’s Department
ANN ELLSWORTH
Executive Director
Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center
JANE AMSDEN, LCSW-R
Program Director
Mental Health Counseling and Treatment Services
CoveCare Center
JOHN OSTERHOUT
Director
Putnam County Probation Department
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MARLA BEHLER, LMSW
Program Director
Child Advocacy Center of Putnam County
MICHAEL J. PIAZZA, JR.
Commissioner
DSS, Mental Health & Youth Bureau
SARA SERVADIO
Deputy Commissioner
DSS, Mental Health & Youth Bureau
FRANK MAROCCO, ESQ.
Director of Services
Putnam County Department of Social Services
GRACE BALCER
Fiscal Manager
Putnam County Depts. Of Social Service, Mental Health & Youth Bureau
FAYE THORPE, ESQ.
Counsel
Putnam County Department of Social Services
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM
Allegations of child sexual abuse, serious physical abuse, and domestic violence involving or witnessed by children are investigated by the CAC’s specially trained multidisciplinary team (MDT).
Cases are referred to the CAC by law enforcement, child protective services, or the district attorney’s office.
The CAC provides a child-friendly setting, putting the child and family at ease while coordinating the essential services of forensic interviews, medical evaluations, mental health assessments, and victim support and advocacy.
The CAC is deeply committed to serving child victims with sensitivity, understanding, collaboration, competence, and compassion. Although team members come from various disciplines, the team is committed to reducing the trauma to child victims and their families by providing an immediate coordinated response to abuse allegations.
Our Goals:
- Reduce trauma to the child
- Provide family with support and assistance
- Promote thorough investigations and hold offenders accountable
- Improve communication and information sharing between MDT members
Who makes up our Multidisciplinary Team?
- Law Enforcement Investigators
Investigators/ Detectives investigate criminal allegations and gather evidence. - Prosecutors
Prosecutors review witness and suspect statements and corroborate evidence to decide whether a case will be prosecuted. - Specialized Child Protective Service Workers
Child Protective Service Workers promote the safety and well-being on children through investigation and intervention in reported child abuse cases. - Forensic Interviewer
Forensic interviewers are specially trained to conduct developmentally and age-appropriate interviews of children who are alleged victims of abuse or who have witnessed violent crimes. - Medical Providers
The Westchester Institute for Human Development provides specialized medical evaluations and treatment of child victims of sexual or physical abuse. - Mental Health Providers
The Putnam Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center provides strength-based, trauma informed treatment focused on the mental health of families. - Victim Advocates
Advocates support, educate, and inform families throughout the case. They accompany victims and families to criminal and family court proceedings and forensic medical exams. They also make referrals to mental health providers and other services the family needs.
