What We Do

Children’s Advocacy Centers (commonly referred to as CACs) are child-focused, community-oriented, facility-based programs in which representatives from many disciplines meet to discuss and make decisions about investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases. They also work to prevent further victimization of children.

The Center provides a comfortable, child-friendly environment that hosts a safe place for child victims of abuse and assault to talk about what has happened and begin to heal.

Children’s Advocacy Centers operate under the “Children’s Advocacy Center model” to provide a well-coordinated, multidisciplinary response to allegations of child abuse or victimization, beginning with a forensic interview and including case management and therapeutic services for children and their non-offending family members or guardians. With help from the Center, these children and families no longer have to repeatedly tell their story or face the justice system alone.

Crisis Centers are an integral part of the movement to end sexual violence through advocacy, education and public policy.
Our vision is to eliminate sexual assault and all forms of oppression. We work to attain quality services for victims/survivors and we challenge the nation to commit to a rape-free culture.

The Center provides a comfortable, safe environment for victims to heal. We offer a variety of services depending on the needs of each survivor. These include advocacy, accompaniment to law enforcement and prosecutor’s office, therapy services, yoga therapy, and many more services detailed below.

Children & Caregivers

Children who have:

• been sexually abused (by a stranger or non-stranger)

• experienced other types of abuse

• witnessed violent crimes

  *The non-offending caregivers of these children can also receive services.

  Please note:
  There are various requirements necessary in order for children to qualify for services.
  For example, child abuse must be reported to CPS and/or law enforcement. How those agencies proceed with their case will determine which services are available to the children and caregivers involved.

Adults

All victims of stranger and non-stranger sexual assaults

• Adults DO NOT have to report the assault to law enforcement to qualify for services.

• Adults who were abused as children qualify as well.

• 24-hour Sexual Assault Hotline to provide confidential assistance to survivors of sexual assault

• Accompaniment

  • to hospitals

  • to law enforcement offices

  • to prosecutors’ offices and court if/when your legal case is processed

• Advocacy on behalf of our victims to certain third parties

• Assistance

  • with VINE (a resource to access information regarding offenders and criminal cases)

  • with Crime Victims’ Compensation (a financial assistance program that helps eligible victims of crime with certain expenses related to the crime).

• Crisis Intervention

  • to support and stabilize sexual assault victims

• Information

  • about the criminal justice process

  • about crime victims’ rights

  • about other resources relevant to the survivors needs and situation

• Referrals

  • to other organizations and service providers relevant to the survivors needs and situation

• Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)

  • coordination that brings together advocates, prosecution, law enforcement, forensic medical examiners, and other key participants to coordinate services to sexual assault survivors.

• Therapy

  • to adult and child sexual assault survivors by a Licensed Professional Counselor or a LPC intern

  • caregivers of these child survivors may also receive therapy services

• Walk-In Services

  • The Center welcomes walk-in appointments!

  • Crisis Intervention, Accompaniment, Advocacy, and Information and Referral are available through the 24 hour sexual assault hotline or on a walk-in basis during regular office hours.

  • If possible, please call our 24 hour sexual assault hotline (903-454-9999) prior to arrival so that an advocate is prepared to meet you.

  • Walk-in hours are Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm at 2604 Lee Street, Greenville, TX 75401. Walk-in hours may change during holidays, inclement weather, or during a pandemic.

Advocacy

The time from outcry of abuse until the end of a criminal trial can take months or even years. The Advocacy program provides support and information to victims and their non-offending families involved with our MDT and SART Team. This program provides a continuum of care for clients from the first day they come to The Center until the end of the resulting criminal trial. Advocates work with our MDT and SART to represent the best interest of the client and provide information to clients regarding the status of their case, and make referrals for additional services and resources as appropriate.

Forensic Interviews

Hunt County Children’s Advocacy Center employs highly-trained forensic interviewers who interview child victims to gather information about the alleged offense for Law Enforcement, Child Protective Services, and prosecution.

Coordinated Investigations - MDT/Child Cases

Our Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) is a group of professionals working together to investigate allegations of child abuse and sexual assault while ensuring that the best interests of the victims are being served. This team approach involves the vital resources of Advocacy Center staff, law enforcement, Child Protective Services, the prosecutors’ offices, and medical and mental health professionals. Each victims’ case is staffed by the MDT. These services are overseen by the Director of Forensic Services.

Coordinated Investigations-SART/Adult Cases

Our Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) is a group of professionals working together to investigate allegations of child abuse and sexual assault while ensuring that the best interests of the victims are being served. This team approach involves the vital resources of Advocacy Center staff, law enforcement, the prosecutors’ offices, and medical and mental health professionals. Each case is staffed by the SART.

Medical

All sexual assault examinations are conducted by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) who specializes in these type of exams.

• Both types of exams are available for adult and child victims.

The two types of exams are:

1. Non-Acute sexual assault exams are non-invasive sexual assault exams which happen when the assault/abuse happened outside of 120-hour window; these exams are scheduled and take place at the Center.

2. Acute sexual assault exams are evidence collection exams that take place at a hospital within 120 hours of the assault/abuse. Advocates are available to accompany victims at the hospital throughout the exam process to provide crisis intervention, advocacy and information.

If you are interested in accompanying victims to the hospital you can find more information about our volunteer program here.

Therapy

Child abuse victims, their non-offending family members, and adult sexual assault survivors are invited to enter free counseling and therapy programs conducted by the Center. We offer therapy services for a lifetime as trauma can come up throughout a person’s life even after a person has completed trauma-informed therapy.

Licensed professional counselors (LPCs), their interns, and contracted practitioners provide individual therapy, play therapy, and pet-assisted therapy to help victims and their families find healing after the abuse. Practitioners utilize techniques in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to assist in restoring the victims lives. Therapeutic services are overseen by the Clinical Director. 

Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TSY)
& Somatic Movements

Our yoga program goes beyond trauma-informed group yoga classes. It applies a combination of trauma sensitive yoga techniques, mindfulness, meditation, and somatic practices to help survivors self-regulate and learn the complexities of how trauma has impacted their body. While this program is based on components of hatha style yoga that employs physical forms and body movements, the emphasis is not placed on the outward manifestation of the posture. Rather, the focus is on interoception, the ability to feel and interpret bodily sensations while in the posture.

Current clients of all ages are eligible for our yoga program once given a referral from one of our therapists. Participants will be asked to complete a consent form and waiver prior to starting.

Jewel West, a long time staff member and a 500 RYT, facilitates the program. Jewel has completed more than 120 hours of professional training in trauma based yoga practices. She holds advanced certificates in Trauma Informed Yoga, Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy, the Trauma Conscious Yoga Method, Prenatal Yoga, Kidding Around Yoga, Ayurvedic Nutrition and in mindfulness and meditation. Please reach out to her for additional information at Jewel.West@ccnetx.org, or by calling 903-454-9999.

Programs are available to all of Hunt County!

We provide Public Education on the dynamics of sexual violence, its causes and consequences, and the services we offer. A wide range of community programs are available for all ages to bring awareness and education to communities all across northeast Texas. More information on the programs we offer can be found on our community programs page.

Requests for presentations, parenting classes, school programs, professional training, and public awareness campaigns from The Center are received by our Director of Community Outreach and Education, Amy Ramsey. For more information, visit our community programs page or call (903) 454-9999 today to discuss our programs and the positive impact they can bring to the community!