Children’s Advocacy
Center Serves Children, Families in Crisis
New Facility Expands Efforts Into Berkeley CountyBy Kaylea M. Hutson-Miller
A safe, child-focused environment awaits a child who finds themselves in need of the services offered at the Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC).
On March 23, staff at the DCAC hosted a renovation reveal and ribbon cutting as part of the Greater Dorchester Summerville Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours.
Through several grants, the staff was able to update and renovate the facility’s lobby, waiting rooms, therapy space and create ADA compliant restrooms in the front building.
It’s the latest innovation taking place for the center, named the Chamber’s Nonprofit of the Year in 2021.
Dr. Kay Phillips, DCAC’s Executive Director, said it was an honor to receive the award, as one of many nonprofit organizations in the community.
“For the Chamber to recognize DCAC and its contributions to the community in our fight against child abuse was very humbling,” Phillips said.
A Bit of History
In 1997, the founding Board of Directors of the nonprofit Children in Crisis in Dorchester County met and began to envision a local group home for children entering the foster care system.
The ultimate goal was to help children not have to leave their school, close contacts and other local resources. Phillips said through research, the Board changed its vision to follow the national model of a child advocacy center, and in December 2003 Children in Crisis began operating as Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center.
How it Works
The DCAC, which follows the national model of a child advocacy center, provides a place for a child, who may be experiencing abuse, a place to tell their story once to a trained interviewer who knows the right questions in a way that does not retraumatize the child.
After the interview, the multidisciplinary team (MDT) comes together to make decisions for the child based upon the interview. The MDT includes medical professionals, law enforcement, mental health, prosecution, child protective services, victim advocacy and other professionals.
The center’s 25 staff members then offer a plethora of services - free of charge - for the child, including therapy and medical exams, courtroom preparation, victim advocacy, case management, and other services.
Last year, DCAC staff served 1,647 clients and conducted 582 forensic interviews. Those interviews are a core component of the DCAC’s clinical services.
“A forensic interview is a structured, audio and video recorded, non-leading conversation with a child intended to provide detailed information about a possible event(s) that the child may have experienced or witnessed,” Phillips said. “Every forensic interviewer at DCAC is trained by the Child First South Carolina forensic interview model.
“The forensic interview is designed to document the child’s statement for legal purposes, to assess mental health and medical needs and to ensure the safety of the child and other children within the home.”
Beyond DCAC services, the forensic interview is important for law enforcement to begin their investigations. Additionally, Phillips said, solicitor’s offices use the interviews as evidence for their prosecutions, sometimes years after the abuse has occurred, which is why forensic interviews are so important.
A Look Ahead
A satellite center, The Berkeley Children’s Advocacy Center, will begin as an extension of the DCAC’s efforts by the end of 2023.
The satellite center, located in Moncks Corner, came about through a donation of land by the Cumbie Family of Berkeley County and the donation of a new facility by True Homes USA.
“The need for a Berkeley County location has been a vision of the staff and Board of Directors for many years,” Phillips said. “Almost half of our clients are from Berkeley County, and constructing a child advocacy center there will help us better serve those clients in the rural areas of Berkeley County, such as Bonneau, Saint Stephen and Jamestown.”
Philips said this rural location will help those clients who are socio-economically disadvantaged, helping them obtain services while helping to address factors such as loss of time from work and transportation issues that come with driving one county over.
“Because of traffic congestion, many times their commute would be more than an hour one way,” Phillips said. “So this facility will be much more convenient for them and others living in Berkeley County.”
Did You Know
The Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center’s success depends on volunteers in the community, many of whom help carry out fundraising events - from planning, to day-of event opportunities. Groups of volunteers are also welcome to help complete special projects throughout the year.
Beyond the DCAC
In addition to the work at the DCAC, staff members work with area schools to provide training opportunities for both adults and children.
DCAC staff are also part of the school resource fairs across several school districts, including Dorchester District Two, Dorchester District Four and Berkeley County School District.
“School teachers and guidance counselors are supportive members of our multidisciplinary teams (MDT),” explained Dr. Kay Phillips, DCAC executive director. “Many times they are the first line of defense to help advocate for the child for future referrals to a child advocacy center or appropriate supportive agencies.”