OCFS Child Advocacy Center Program Standards
The following 10 Program Standards serve as the basis for OCFS funding and for determining a program’s Tier status. The standards are expanded upon in the attached Program Standards for Multidisciplinary Teams and Child Advocacy Center Programs. The five (5) core standards are bolded below.

1. Child-Appropriate/Child-Friendly Facility: The CAC provides a comfortable, private, child-friendly setting that is both physically and psychologically safe for children of all ages. The CAC should be perceived by the community as a neutral site that serves all members of the MDT.
   
2. Multidisciplinary Team: The MDT for response to child abuse allegations must include representation from the following:
   • law enforcement
   • child protective services
   • prosecution (i.e., district attorney’s office)
   • mental health
   • medical (specifically, a physician or medical provider trained in forensic pediatrics)
   • victim advocacy; and child advocacy center (where a CAC exists)
     
    
3. Organizational Capacity: A designated legal entity responsible for program and fiscal operations has been established and implements basic sound program, administrative and fiscal practices.
   
4. Cultural Competency and Diversity: The CAC promotes policies, practices and procedures that are culturally competent. Cultural competency is defined as the capacity to function in more than one culture, requiring the ability to appreciate, understand and interact with members of diverse populations within the local community.
   
5. Forensic Interviews: The CAC promotes forensic interviews which are legally sound, are of a neutral, fact-finding nature, and coordinated to avoid duplicative interviewing. The New York State Children’s Justice Task Force Forensic Interviewing Best Practices is recommended.
   
6. Medical Evaluation: Specialized medical evaluation and treatment services are available to all CAC clients at the CAC or coordinated through an MDT response that provides follow-up referrals and/or treatment as necessary.
   
7. Therapeutic Intervention: Specialized mental health services are made available as part of the MDT response, either at the CAC or through coordination and referral with other treatment providers.
   
8. Victim Support/Advocacy: Victim support and advocacy are available throughout the investigation and prosecution.
   
9. Case Review: Team discussion and information sharing regarding the investigation, case status and services needed by the child and family will occur on a routine basis.
   
10. Case Tracking: CACs must have a system for monitoring case progress and tracking case outcomes for all team members.

Evaluating Program Standards

Within the 10 program standards listed above, that are necessary for OCFS funding as an approved CAC, there are a number of criteria that must be met.

The criteria listed in the Program Standards for Multidisciplinary Team and Child Advocacy Center Programs support the OCFS standards for approval as a CAC. The criteria, noted as such beneath the rationale for each standard.

The CAC must demonstrate how it meets the community’s unique needs. Factors such as size, community resources, access to funding, geography, types of cases handled, and population size are obvious considerations for CACs and their ability to meet the criteria for each standard.

For the complete OCFS MDT-CAC 2010 Manual, please contact CARCC at nyscarcc@safehorizon.org.