Frequently Asked Questions

The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) is made up of professionals who gather together when there are allegations of suspected child abuse. This team consists of child protective service workers, law enforcement, assistant district attorneys, family advocates, nurses, forensic interviewers, and mental health agencies. Investigative team members, such as child protective service workers and law enforcement, will be present at the CAC for forensic interviews. Additionally, family advocates and nurses are available on-site to offer supports and services to you and your family.

A forensic interview is a developmentally sensitive, structured conversation with a child that is intended to gather information about a possible event the child may have experienced or witnessed. Forensic interviews are recorded and are conducted by forensic interviewers who have been trained in a nationally recognized Forensic Interview protocol. Interviews are remotely observed by representatives of the agencies involved in the investigation (such as law enforcement and child protective services).

Before coming to the CAC, it is helpful for your child to understand the reason for their appointment. You can share with your child that they are coming here to talk about something that might have happened or what might have been reported, and that they will have the opportunity at the CAC to tell the interviewer anything they want (even if they haven’t told you). We encourage families and caregivers to let the child know to be honest and that they are not in trouble for anything that happened, while avoiding telling the child what to say while they are in the interview. We do not suggest telling your child that they are going to a doctor's appointment or counseling session, as this may cause more stress - children often associate doctor's offices with shots or stressful medical procedures.

If your child is offered a medical examination, explain to them that this is to make sure that their body is healthy. Assure your child that the forensic nurse will talk with your child about everything they will be doing prior to doing the exam. The nurse will talk with your child about what the child is okay with, whether they want to do a full exam or just talk with the nurse and ask questions they may have about their body. They do not have to do the exam or meet with the nurse if they do not want to. If an exam is not scheduled at the time of your child's interview, you may request one by contacting the family advocate.

Because interviews are an aspect of the investigative team's ongoing investigation, caregivers are not permitted to be in the interview room with the child while the interview is occurring. However, you can assure your child that the child and interviewer can take breaks from the interview room as needed to help the child feel more comfortable.

Generally, children visit the CAC one time when an allegation is being investigated. Some children do benefit from having their interview spread out over multiple sessions - these are referred to as extended interviews. If the team feels an extended interview would benefit your child, you will be informed the day of the first interview session and then additional sessions will be scheduled as needed. If different allegations are made in the future, your child may come back to the CAC for an interview regarding the new allegations.

Since the forensic interviews are child-led, this really depends on the child and how much they are interested in talking. We schedule appointment slots for 1.5 hours, but the actual interview can be much shorter or longer than that. The appointment time includes time for caregivers to meet with the investigative team before and after the interview.

We allow non-offending caregivers and friends to come along to appointments for support. Support people are welcome to be with you in the waiting room. We do not allow any alleged offenders inside of the center so that we can ensure a safe and friendly environment for the children we serve.

Our center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization. We are funded through donations and grants, as well as fee-for-service agreements with various providers. No child or family is ever charged a fee for appointments.

Your child will be talking with a forensic interviewer. The interviewer has special training in talking with children about difficult subjects. Their goal is to make your child as comfortable as possible while gathering information needed for the investigation. Questions are asked in a developmentally appropriate, non-leading manner. The interviewer will move at a pace that is comfortable for your child and will never force your child to talk.

After the interview, caregivers will have a chance to talk with the investigative team members to discuss next steps as appropriate. You will also have a chance to ask questions to the investigative team members before leaving the CAC. Contact information will be provided to you, and you can expect to hear from the investigators regarding next steps after the CAC appointment. Additionally, your child might meet with the on-site nurse prior to the end of your CAC appointment.

No, the CAC is an independent organization separate from the York County Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF). Depending on the allegation, you may have a caseworker from OCYF assigned to your case, but we are separate agencies.

Any report of child abuse should be made directly to PA ChildLine. Their phone number is 1-800-932-0313 and they are available 24/7.

We do not take walk-in appointments. All referrals come from the District Attorney's Office or Office of Children, Youth, and Families. In order to ensure the best possible investigation, we cannot provide services to children without the coordinated approach of the multidisciplinary team.