2010 W. State St.
New Castle, PA 16105
724-658-4688
The CAC is a nonprofit offering child abuse intervention and prevention programs throughout Lawrence County.
All children who qualify for and need services receive them for free. Funding for CAC services is currently through state and federal grants.
To learn more about any of our programs below, call 724-658-4688.
The licensed therapists at the CAC:
The goals of our therapy services are to:
Treatments we offer that address the impact of child abuse include:
Resources:
This one-time, recorded interview of a child takes place when there are concerns that they may have suffered abuse or neglect. We also interview children who witness violence.
The interview takes place at a child-friendly place in a supportive and non-leading manner.
Experts with training in nationally recognized forensic interview models will meet with your child. Law enforcement or child protective services (CYS) will observe.
After the interview, we urge every child who is a possible victim of sexual assault to have a forensic medical exam.
A sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) does the exam at the CAC. This helps ensure your child's health and safety. The nurse will look for any physical signs of abuse.
Before you arrive at the center, it's vital to talk to your child. Let them know that someone whose job is to help make sure kids are safe needs to talk with them.
Let your child ask questions about the interview and talk freely. Be sure not to guide your child in what they should or shouldn't say.
When you get to the CAC:
The child will then meet with the forensic interviewer and see the observation room. Only investigators involved in your child's case observe interviews.
It's crucial for the interviewer to talk with your child alone. If someone has abused your child, it might be hard for them to talk about this in front of you.
You can wait in the waiting room during your child's interview. Most last about 30 minutes but some can be shorter or longer. The length of the interview depends the age of the child and the details of the case.
The forensic interviewer spends much of their time getting to know your child and helping them feel more at ease.
You don't have to worry that they're interrogating your child or talking about the abuse the whole time. Remember. The forensic interviewer is there to protect your child and make them feel safe about telling their story.
Our expert team comes from a wide range of fields and includes:
Team members involved in the case meet with you and the forensic interviewer before and after to decide a plan of action.
The larger team meets monthly to review all cases of alleged child abuse and arrange prosecution and victim's services.
The family advocate at CAC:
This program serves parents whose children are in foster placement. The goal is to reunite the child or children with their parents.
Reunification counselors help families create a safe, stable, and supportive environment.
The program offers:
Counselors use a range of evidence-based programs to help achieve reunification, including:
Did you know? 63% of fathers say they spend too little time with their kids?
Fathers play a vital role in their children's lives. Whether he lives with his kids or not, having an involved father plays a large part in their happiness and health.
Promoting Responsible Fatherhood helps fathers be responsible and commit to their child's lives.
For more resources, go to the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse.
If you're pregnant with your first baby, NFP can offer support and answer your questions through your pregnancy and beyond.
The program is free to those who qualify.
NFP pairs a first-time mom with a specially trained registered nurse who:
NFP also holds free classes throughout the year on topics such as:
NFP is for first-time moms who:
If you aren't sure if you qualify, call our office at 724-658-4688 so we can help.
NFP comes to you.
We can meet in your home, at your school, or wherever works for you. We also offer virtual visits.
You may include whomever you'd like in our visits.
Visits are about you and your baby. You and your nurse will work together to choose topics that matter most to you.
We listen to your concerns and can help you make informed decisions about your health and that of your baby.
Your nurse will stay with you as you grow more confident as a mother and help you work toward your family's goals.
Some common topics we help with are:
Parents as Teachers works with parents and caregivers to promote their child's early development, learning, and health.
This proven and effective home visiting program helps both children and parents.
At our first visit, our team assesses family needs and partners with parents to set family goals.
We'll provide resources to help you support your children's emotional, behavioral, and physical growth.
Other visits focus on:
For those families struggling with substance use issues, our certified recovery specialists can help.
Early Head Start (EHS) is a free, income-based, in-home program for children ages 3 and younger. The program uses the evidence-based Parents as Teachers Curriculum to provide parenting and child development education.
Weekly visits by a specially trained Family Development Specialist last at least 90 minutes.
EHS provides social visits twice a month, which benefit both children and parents with positive social interactions. Parents can volunteer for Policy Council, which makes decisions about the EHS Program.
What to expect during an EHS visit: