What is a Children's Advocacy Center?

A Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is a safe and child-focused place that helps children and their non-offending caregivers when a child may have experienced sexual abuse. At a CAC, a group of people from different agencies and services work together as a team to help the child. While at the CAC, the child will speak with an interviewer. Their family member(s) will meet with a Family Advocate to help the family work through what is happening. Referrals will be made to therapists, doctors, and to other services that the child and their family needs.

Who refers to the CAC?

Law enforcement, Child Protective Services, and the District Attorney’s Office are the only ones who can make referrals to the CAC. Parents, caregivers, or other professionals cannot make referrals to the CAC. Instead, they should make a mandated report to the Department of Health and Human Services Child Abuse Hotline or their local District Attorney’s Office.
I appreciated how kind the staff was & how comfortable they made my son & me feel."
                     -CAC Client

What happens at the CAC?
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​262 Harlow Street 
Bangor, ME 04401
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207-974-2469
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The Penquis CAC is a proud member of the National Children's Alliance.
Penquis Children's Advocacy Center is funded in part by Maine's Department of Health and Human Services, the Heart of Maine United Way, and your generous public and private  donations. 
It is the policy of Penquis Children's Advocacy Center that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, religious belief, political affiliation or belief, age, sex, marital status, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other classification protected by law, be discriminated against in access to its services or the provision of services.

Any person who believes that they have been subject to discrimination may file a complaint directly to the Compliance Officer, Maine Human Rights Commission, or the US Department of Justice. Contact information below:

Compliance Officer                                                                           Maine Human Rights Commission                                                US Department of Justice      
262 Harlow St.                                                                                    19 Union St.                                                                                        950 Pennsylvania Ave.
Bangor, ME 04401                                                                             Augusta, ME 04330                                                                          Washington, DC 20530
(207) 973-3500                                                                                  (207) 624-6290                                                                                 (202) 514-4609