Orange County recently celebrated the opening of its Orange County Child Advocacy Center (OCCAC). Child advocacy centers bring child protective services, law enforcement, medical providers, advocacy, and therapeutic resources together when allegations of child abuse or maltreatment are made to make the investigation process less traumatic for children.
“Children are some of the most vulnerable victims of crime and the Child Advocacy Center provides the County with another resource to assist them and their families during what is a time of great need,” Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus. “The Center will ensure that victims receive the services that they need, which will help them recover and heal. I commend Commissioner of Social Services Darcie Miller and her hard-working staff for working diligently with the State to bring the Center to Orange County.”
The mission of the OCCAC, located at 30 Matthews St. in Goshen, is to provide a safe venue for child victims and their families, where they can receive an array of services during the investigative phase of a sexual and/or physical abuse allegations, and to minimize trauma to child victims and their non-offending caregivers by conducting trauma informed forensic interviews and providing advocacy and referrals to needed services. OCCAC staff will also help victims to develop an action plan to keep children safe from their alleged abuser and help gather sufficient, legally sound evidence to successfully adjudicate and prosecute perpetrators.
For more information about the OCCAC, call Coordinator Dana Newman, LMSW, at 845-291-2839, or email dnewman@orangecoutnygov.com.
Orange County recently celebrated the opening of its Orange County Child Advocacy Center.
