About The Crawford Child Advocacy Center
The Crawford Child Advocacy Center (CCAC) is an independent nonprofit dedicated to preventing and responding to child maltreatment, particularly cases of child physical and sexual abuse. The CCAC provides effective child abuse awareness and prevention training, victim support, family advocacy, and forensic interviews using a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach.
As the only agency in Colorado’s 8th Judicial District (Larimer and Jackson counties) accredited by the National Children’s Alliance, we work closely with local law enforcement agencies, the Department of Human Services, the District Attorney’s office, and medical and mental healthcare professionals to minimize additional trauma and provide crucial resources and support for child victims and their caregivers.
- Our mission is to prevent and respond to abuse and victimization through proven child-centered methods, professional forensic interviews, and collaborative advocacy.
- Our vision is to eliminate the harm caused by child abuse.
For nearly 30 years, The Crawford Child Advocacy Center has worked to prevent and respond to cases of child sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and trafficking.
What Does the CCAC Do?
- We provide forensic interviews and advocacy in cases of suspected child physical or sexual abuse or for cases in which a child may be a witness to a crime, such as homicide.
- We provide a friendly, welcoming environment for the for the victim and their family, so they do not have to travel to different agencies (law enforcement, Child Protective Services, the District Attorney’s Office, etc.) and re-tell their story multiple times.
- We offer emergency resources and referrals for various services for victims and their non-offending caregivers.
- We improve outcomes by bringing together child protection staff, law enforcement, and CAC professionals for coordinated investigations, improving communication and data collection, which in turn typically saves more than $1,000 per case.
- We offer on-site medical exams for victims of child maltreatment, which provides a more private and convenient healthcare option that a standard clinic.
- We help prevent child abuse. Our Safety Smarts program teaches K-5 students to recognize, refuse, and report attempts to touch them in an unsafe way. We are currently in 26 area elementary schools and teach thousands of kids each year, including those with developmental or cognitive delays. We have recently added training specifically addressing online safety for older elementary students.
History of the CCAC
- In 1994, a community task force looked to find a better way to serve children involved in child abuse investigations and their families. After years of research, the group recommended establishing a center where teams would provide children and families coordinated services in a child-friendly setting.
- In January of 1996, their recommendation became a reality when the Larimer County Child Advocacy Center first opened its doors in a small house on West Myrtle Street in Fort Collins. In 2004, we moved to our current location in a former farmhouse built in 1890 on South Timberline Road. Our center is included on the list of Fort Collins Historic Landmark Properties as the Gill/Nelson Farm.
- In 2007, the CAC began an abuse prevention program for students. That program evolved into Safety Smarts, which still serves thousands of children each year in local elementary schools.
- In January 2022, we changed our name from Voices Carry Child Advocacy Center (the name we held since 2016) to The Crawford Child Advocacy Center in honor of Dr. Deb Crawford, a local pediatrician who has been a champion in the fight against child maltreatment for more than 30 years.
Forensic Interviews Performed for Victims of Abuse
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Family Members Supported Through Advocacy
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Students Trained in Abuse Prevention (2022-23 school year)
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