Victim Support and Family Advocacy

Hope and comfort for child victims and their families

Victim Support
The focus of family advocacy and victim support is to help reduce trauma for the child and non-offending caregivers/family members and to improve outcomes on the healing journey.

Hope
Children and families are referred to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Van Zandt County in crisis, and it is our desire that they leave with hope and that stability and safety are within their grasp.

Emotional Support
The Family Advocate works with the non-offending caregivers to assess physical and emotional needs encountered due to the abuse or trauma.

Community Resources
The CACVZC Family Advocate has a list of resources and contacts to refer families for very basic to complex needs.

Certified
The Family Advocate is certified to assist victims and their families apply for Crime Victim’s Compensation Funds through the State of TX.

Advocacy Services

  • Children and non-offending caregivers/family members in crisis need assistance in navigating through the multi-systems response.

    CACVZC links with local community advocates (e.g. domestic violence advocates, rape crisis counselors, Court Appointed Special Advocates, etc.) and/or system-based advocates (e.g. victim witness coordinators, law enforcement victim’s advocates, etc.) to provide services to victims in crisis.

  • Providing education about the coordinated, multidisciplinary response

    Providing updates to the non-offending caregiver/family members on case status, continuances, dispositions, sentencing, and offender release from custody

    Providing updates to the MDT on caregiver/family status

  • Greeting and orientation of children to CACVZC

    Assessing the child’s and non-offending caregiver’s/family’s attitudes and feelings about participation in the investigation/prosecution

  • Assisting in procuring concrete services (e.g., housing, protective orders, domestic violence intervention, food, crime victims compensation, transportation, public assistance etc.)

    Providing referrals for mental health and medical treatment, if not provided at CACVZC

    Providing and/or coordinating with the community for special projects (i.e. toy drives, back to school supplies, food drives, coat drives, etc.)

  • Providing crisis intervention and support at all stages of investigation and prosecution

    Attending and/or coordinating interviews and/or case review

  • Providing and/or assisting with court education/support/accompaniment

    Providing and/or assisting with tours of the courthouse/courtroom

    Securing transportation to interviews, court, treatment and other case-related meetings