A Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is an interagency partnership designed to reduce trauma to children and families impacted by child abuse.  CACs provide families with access to staff from multiple disciplines (such as social work, victim advocates, police, prosecutors and mental health) at the same time, thus reducing the number of times that children and families must “tell their story” and providing a comprehensive approach to services and healing.  CACs are a national best practice model and are trauma informed and child friendly spaces.

Canopy Child Advocacy Center opened its doors in November 2018, under the direction of Jennifer Johnson.  The opening of Canopy was the result of years of work and collaboration with community partners including: United Way, Domestic Violence and Child Advocacy Center (DVCAC), Cleveland Police, Cuyahoga County Courts and Prosecutors, Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (CCDCFS), Frontline Services, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (CRCC) and all three major hospital systems (MetroHealth, University Hospitals, and Cleveland Clinic). When Canopy first opened, eligibility criteria was limited to children living in the city of Cleveland, 12 and under, who were victims of sexual abuse.  As Canopy has grown, eligibility criteria has also expanded to 35 additional law enforcement jurisdictions within Cuyahoga County, and to victims of human trafficking up to age 18. 

Since opening, Canopy has provided services to over 1,100 children in Cuyahoga County and their families.  Canopy has victim advocates on site that are available to work with families that have been impacted by child abuse. Canopy has mental health therapists that are dedicated to serving CAC children.  DCFS staff from the sex abuse unit conduct the majority of the forensic interviews at the CAC.  These interviews are often observed by law enforcement, and at times, prosecutors. Canopy also has a medical suite that is in the process of being opened for use by CAC families, to address non-acute medical concerns for children that have experienced abuse.

A multidisciplinary team (MDT), made up of individuals from the partners listed above, meets on a weekly basis to discuss family cases that are active with CAC services.  All team members participate in these discussions and share information about how the family is progressing, and determines if additional services are needed.  The team continues to review families until services are in place, and/or the family’s involvement with DCFS, law enforcement, and/or prosecution has reached resolution.  Team members find these meetings valuable in ensuring that families are receiving the right services, and participation in MDT has continued to strengthen our partnerships.