Children's Advocacy Group Honored by Bar Association

The Bucks County Bar Association presented the William H. Eastburn III award to the Bucks County Children’s Advocacy Center for improvement to the administration of justice for its contributions to the justice system and community.

According to a release, the three-year-old Bucks CAC was honored at the bar association’s annual dinner and awards ceremony on December 1.

The Bar Association, which was incorporated in 1883, concerns itself with the welfare of the judicial system, the courts, the administration of justice, service to the public and the betterment of the legal profession. It is dedicated to providing its members, potential members and all persons and organizations connected with the law support and fellowship for the advancement of the profession. The association currently has more 700 members.

The Children’s Advocacy Center was established in 2008 as a collaborative effort by the Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services Agency, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, Network of Victim Assistance, Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership and local law enforcement to redefine how we confront the issue of child maltreatment.

At the Bucks County CAC, a multidisciplinary team – including law enforcement, prosecution, medical professionals, victim advocates and child protective service professionals – works together under one roof to provide a coordinated response to reports of suspected child sexual and physical abuse.

The center, which was accredited this year by the National Children’s Alliance, is dedicated to providing comprehensive, coordinated and compassionate services to victims of child abuse. The child-focused, respectful and safe atmosphere at each of its three locations in upper, central and lower Bucks helps reduce the likelihood of trauma to the child that may be caused by repeated questioning, redundant interviews and unfamiliar and chaotic police departments or emergency rooms. The multidisciplinary team model has achieved unanimous “buy-in” by local law enforcement, and all local police departments have committed to bringing suspected child abuse cases to the CAC for investigation.