Governor Proclaims Children’s Advocacy Center Day

Children’s Advocacy Center Day

2025

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, in 2024, Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) across North Carolina provided life-changing support to children and caregivers through forensic interviews, child medical evaluations, victim advocacy services, and evidence-based mental health treatments, all offered free of charge; and

Whereas, CACs in North Carolina continue to serve some of our most vulnerable community members, with 59 percent of the children served in 2024 being 10 years old or younger, including 26 percent aged 0-5 years and 33 percent aged 6-10 years, while 42 percent were aged 13-17 years; and

Whereas, in 2024, CACs handled a total of 6,905 cases of child sexual abuse, 3,851 cases of physical abuse, and 1,675 cases of neglect, in addition to addressing cases involving child trafficking, drug endangerment, and children who witnessed violence; and

Whereas, multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) facilitated by CACs brought together professionals from law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, medical and mental health fields, achieving a 95.6 percent success rate in improving collaboration and efficiency in child abuse investigations; and

Whereas, caregivers who accessed CAC services reported a 97.3 percent satisfaction rate, stating that the centers played a critical role in their child’s healing and recovery process; and

Whereas, CACs uphold the highest standards of care and collaboration, ensuring that children and their non-offending caregivers receive the best possible response to abuse and neglect, while also leading the way in prevention, education, and community awareness regarding child abuse;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim April 28, 2025, as “Children’s Advocacy Center Day” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this fifteenth day of April in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-fifth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.