PennCAC was created to bring clarity, coordination, and consistency to how child abuse is handled—so children and families receive the support they need, when they need it.
There was a time when the response to child abuse depended heavily on where a child lived—and which agencies were involved.
Systems were often fragmented.
Communication was inconsistent.
And children sometimes had to repeat their story multiple times.
PennCAC was established to change that.
PennCAC was founded in 2007 to support the development and growth of Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) across Pennsylvania—introducing a model built on collaboration, not fragmentation.
From the start, the goal was clear:
To create a more coordinated, child-focused response to abuse.
As more communities adopted the CAC model, PennCAC’s role expanded.
We began:
What started as a growing idea became a statewide system.
Today, PennCAC serves as the statewide leader supporting Children’s Advocacy Centers and multidisciplinary teams across Pennsylvania.
Our work helps ensure that:
