Specifications include, but are not limited to: The main source of funding for this RFP will be CAC funding from the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). Child Advocacy Centers are neutral, safe, and child appropriate locations where multidisciplinary teams investigate disclosures of child sexual or severe physical abuse. The multidisciplinary team approach ensures that children are not subjected to numerous interviews and they begin in a childfriendly environment. Children who have disclosed abuse are interviewed by a forensic interviewer at such centers. The intended impact of CAC services is to increase the prompt and successful resolution of court proceedings in child abuse and neglect cases while ensuring fairness to the accused and reducing Request For Proposal Template , Page 7 of 26 additional trauma to victims, and to improve collaboration among CACs and DCS to better address challenges facing children and families of Indiana. Respondents selected to provide CAC services will be expected to provide forensic interview in a manner that is consistent with the Principles of Child Welfare Services (Attachment E). These specifications include but are not limited to: length, quality and type of service, qualifications of staff, documentation requirements, as well as program reports and evaluation. Respondents selected will also be expected to increase the number of successfully resolved cases of child abuse and neglect that go to court by using best practice forensic interviewing of victims, decrease the impact of secondary trauma on victims by using best practice interviewing, and decrease the barrier of travel to a CAC location. Eligible entities under this program must be a Non-Profit entity with 501 (c) (3) status or a government entity such as a Prosecutor’s Office. A CAC Contractor with the Non-Profit status may provide a stand-alone CAC, a CAC under an umbrella agency, or a CAC under a Prosecutor’s Office.
