On Thursday, April 6, 2017 at 1:00 PM, the Children’s Advocacy Center will be holding a ground-breaking ceremony at their new facility location, 3325 Skipper Bridge Road, Valdosta, GA.  Parking will be available for the ceremony at Cherry Creek Baptist Church, directly across the street from the new building site.

The 4,122-square-foot center will provide a safe haven for children who are victims of child abuse.  It will be a place where they can access forensic interview services, mental health care, social advocacy and follow up services following a report of abuse.

“Today’s groundbreaking is very important because it demonstrates our community’s commitment to the Children’s Advocacy Center and the incredible services it will offer to the children who will find themselves here,” said Interim Executive Director, Ashley C. Lindsay.

Located on land donated to the center on Skipper Bridge Road, the new building will include an on-site pediatric forensic medical suite, two forensic interview rooms, group and individual therapy rooms, and an expanded waiting area.

“Our ability to do a more effective job for children and families will increase substantially when the new center is completed. It will mean more space and ensure confidentiality for our clients, under the same child friendly roof where they meet with our detectives and prosecutors.” Lindsay said.

The new center includes a conference room which will provide space for the multidisciplinary team meetings and trainings that the CAC provides. The building will have a separate entrance to the client waiting area as well as for law enforcement personnel, to provide the upmost privacy for our clients.

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Lowndes County provides services that represents the best standards of care for child victims and their families, as well as being able to bring all members of the multidisciplinary team under one roof, such as Law Enforcement, our District Attorney’s office, Victim Advocates, and DFCS Case Managers.  This helps to take added stress off families who are already experiencing a difficult time. 

Having all the necessary services under one roof results in a more coordinated response and investigation into reports of child abuse. It also will be less traumatic for the children because they will only have to travel to one location to tell their story, which greatly reduces their stress. Without a centralized facility, children would have to travel to various locations to access these services, Lindsay said.

Lindsay said that they still need extra donations for in office equipment, , and furnishings for the center.  The new building will double the current size of the facility. "We need people that would like to help with decorating the center, donating services for the building, and even purchasing rooms in memory or in honor of a loved one.” 

The CAC invites everyone to attend the “breaking new ground” ceremony. “We would not be able to provide the services we do, without the unwavering support and commitment we receive from our community. Our doors are open because of you.”