Safe Shores - The DC Children's Advocacy Center
...because it takes a team to end child abuse

What We Do

The DCCAC is a non-profit, private-public partnership that was established to provide a coordinated and child-friendly approach to the investigation and prosecution of civil and criminal child abuse cases in the District of Columbia. The DCCAC currently has eight full-time, three co-located, and three seasonal staff members on site. The DCCAC staff works on a daily basis with a MDT that consists of representatives from local and federal law enforcement, legal, social service, and mental health agencies including the Metropolitan Police Department, the Office of the Attorney General, the United States Attorney’s Office, the Child & Family Services Agency, and Children’s National Medical Center.

The DCCAC facility is designed to provide a warm and welcoming place where children and adolescents can feel safe and supported while waiting for forensic interviews, therapy, court appearances, or placement resolutions. The DCCAC is also designed to serve as a coordinating body for the MDT agencies listed above. The Center's staff facilitates cooperation and coordination among the MDT by providing statistical case tracking, bi-weekly team case reviews to coordinate the civil and criminal investigations, joint forensic interviews, trauma assessments, therapy, and pre-trial support for child victims. The staff also ensures that children receive supervision, meals, clean clothes, crisis intervention and other emergency victim services during the joint investigative process.

National Children's Alliance - Accredited Member