2024 Brighter World Child Advocacy Center

To understand what a child advocacy center (CAC) is, you must understand what children face without one. Without a CAC, the child experiencing abuse may end up having to tell their story over and over again, to doctors, cops, therapists, investigators, and others. Caregivers may get bounced around from agency to agency seeking the appropriate services for their family. 

This was the reality for many families in our community before Brighter World Child Advocacy Center opened its doors in 2021. 

Brighter World has reduced stress for families by providing a safe and comfortable space where a child can tell their story once to a trained forensic interviewer who asks age-appropriate in a way that does not retraumatize the child.

Brighter World acts as the hub for key agencies involved in the criminal investigation to provide ongoing, wrap-around services and support to young victims and their families. Our staff stays with the family throughout the life of their case and connects them with critical resources like mental health services, financial support, housing and more. 

With the recent addition of the UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center Medical Room at Brighter World, young victims have greater access forensic medical exams. These exams not only collect potential evidence but give piece of mind that a child's body is safe and healthy. 

Your support on Yampa Valley Gives Day will not only support young victims, it will also be a contribution to a community that fights for the safety of our children.

Program Impact

The services provided at Brighter World help to reduce the impact of child abuse by coordinating law enforcement, criminal justice, child protection, forensic interviewers, prosecution, mental health, medical and victim advocacy professionals to provide services simultaneously.

To date, Brighter World has...

1. Facilitated over 130 forensic interviews in cases of crimes against children, teens and at-risk adults. 
2. Provided advocacy and support to over 300 siblings, caregivers, and other non-offending family members. 
3. Coordinated 8 onsite forensic medical exams since the opening of the UCHealth medical room this year.