FY2022 Adopted Operating and Capital Budget

FY2022 Adopted Budget Organizational Budgets Child Advocacy Center Mission Statement

Citizens Services Division

Promote child well-being by providing a child -focused approach to address reports of child maltreatment. We seek to prevent and reduce trauma to children and families by using multi-disciplinary collaboration throughout the investigation, prosecution, treatment, education and advocacy processes. The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is a comfortable, child and family friendly

facility designed, staffed, and equipped to provide comprehensive and coordinated multidisciplinary service to child abuse victims and their families. The Child Advocacy Center is fully accredited by WKH 1DWLRQDO &KLOGUHQ¶V $OOLDQFH Children

exposed to violence in their families and communities experience trauma. If unaddressed, the stress caused by child maltreatment has a lifelong impact on physical health, learning, and psychological wellbeing ² including reduced brain volume and altered gene function. Children experiencing multiple types of childhood adversity can even have their lives shortened, living \HDUV IHZHU RQ DYHUDJH WKDQ WKHLU PRUH SURWHFWHG SHHUV ,W GRHVQ¶W KDYH WR EH WKLV ZD\ Exposure to adversity in childhood is a community-wide health concern and it is preventable. The CAC works with law enforcement agencies, the Frederick County Department of Social 6HUYLFHV WKH 6WDWH¶V $WWRUQH\¶V 2IILFH )UHGHULFN Health Hospital, Frederick County Public Schools, citizens and other service providers to help children and families heal past traumas, prevent future trauma from occurring, and assist in promoting life-long well-being of the children who come to us for care. Working together, we can successfully address and prevent the negative outcomes associated with maltreatment in childhood.

Departmental Strategic Goals

County Strategic Goal Alignment: Cultivate Safe and Healthy Families

Community Needs CAC services reduce re-traumatization of children and families through a multi-disciplinary (MDT) response to the investigation and prosecution of child maltreatment, trauma-informed direct services, and coordinated care planning.

FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022

Youth survey respondents indicating that the CAC staff made them feel safe Caregiver survey respondents indicating strong agreement that programs responded to their needs Number of supportive advocacy encounters with CAC clients to promote health and well-being Number of children receiving single point of access services at the CAC

Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual

250 274 450 468

250 251 450 348

250 245 450 500

275

--

500

--

90% 90% 95% 95%

93% 91% 96%

--

95% 95%

--

--

98%

--

362