Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to the Board of Trustees: Victoria Kumpuris Brown, Casey Couvillon Colosky, and Steve Martin. As well as the appointment of Kyle Stewart to the DCAC Foundation Board. We are pleased that these particular leaders have joined DCAC’s Board of Trustees and […]
October Family Activity
Halloween Safety!
Det. Brandon Snyder of Mesquite PD The start of October brings lots of fun conversations around costumes and candy for Halloween. We encourage you to make space among those conversations to discuss a few safety tips to ensure that everyone has a safe and fun time this spooky season. We hope you all have a […]
Family Activity – Coloring Page
Finding Hope in Unexpected Places
Olubukola Ajayi, DCAC Therapist Last year, while working in the garden at the back of our building, I stumbled upon a box of colorful chalk. At the same time, I saw a post on our neighborhood Facebook page about people decorating sidewalks with chalk for the local elementary school kids. Inspired by this, I had […]
Back-to-School Word Search
August Family Activity – Puzzle Fun
Back-to-School Safety Tips!
Angel Newman, Investigation Program Director, Child Protective Services, and Toni Wren, Child Protective Investigations What precautions should caretakers take when posting back-to-school content on social media? Angel: Limit how much identifying information you include. Be mindful when taking photos that may reveal your address, your child’s school information, or their full name. Remember, not everyone […]
July Family Activity
National Forensic Interviewer Appreciation Week
Being On-Call for the Children of Dallas County! This week is National Forensic Interviewer Appreciation Week! The DCAC Forensic Interview Team assists Dallas County law enforcement and Child Protective Services investigators by conducting specialized and unique investigative interviews of children making an outcry of abuse. The goal of a forensic interview is to gather pertinent […]
June Family Activity – Summer Reading Challenge
Children reading in the summer.
PTSD Awareness Month: DCAC’s Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Holly Dotson, LPC-S | DCAC’s Director of Clinical Services Every child reacts differently to experiencing child abuse, and the entire spectrum of these responses can be normal. Though reactions may vary, there are some symptoms reported by children and their family members that qualify under the criteria of Post-Taumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). At DCAC, our […]
A Look Inside DCAC’s Forensic Interview Team
A Look Inside DCAC’s Forensic Interview Team, with Jessica Ulmen What is your role within the agency, and what does an average day look like for you? As a forensic interviewer at Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, I interview children of all ages on behalf of law enforcement. Each day, I get to talk to two […]
A Look Inside DCAC’s Training and Community Outreach Team
What is your role within the agency, and what does an average day look like for you? I am a Bilingual Training and Community Outreach Specialist and every day is different in my role! I am often representing DCAC out of the office doing presentations in the community or running exhibition booths. These presentations can […]
May Family Activity – Dice Question Game
A Look Inside DCAC’s Family Advocacy Team
What is your role within the agency? As a Family Advocate, I provide wraparound support services to clients and their non-offending family members. There are so many ways to support the families that walk through DCAC’s doors, and the primary way I do that is by facilitating trauma screenings after a disclosure of abuse. These […]
A Look Inside DCAC’s MDT Coordination Team | Part 2
What is your role within the agency? I am a part of the Center’s Multidisciplinary Coordination Team (“MDT Coordination” Team), which is comprised of both Case Coordinators, who focus on the investigative portion of child abuse cases, and Care Coordinators, who focus on victims of child sex trafficking/high-risk youth and the services they need. Each […]
A Look Inside DCAC’s MDT Coordination Team
What is your favorite part about your job? My passion for advocating for the most vulnerable in our community first began when I was 14 years old; I volunteered for the domestic violence program where my mother worked. Later, I worked for that same program for 12 years – first as a child advocate and […]
A Note from the CEO
As April unfolds, so too does National Child Abuse Prevention Month – a poignant reminder of the ongoing battle to protect our most vulnerable. It is a month that holds profound significance as we amplify our efforts to shine a light on the pervasive issue of child abuse. It’s a time to raise awareness, foster […]
April Family Activity – Build Your Own Pinwheels
Help DCAC Spread HOPE and awareness for Child Abuse Awareness Month with this month’s family activity.
A Look Inside DCAC’s Therapy Team
What is your role at DCAC? In my role as a therapist at DCAC, I work with children and their non-offending family members to assess, diagnose, and, most importantly, treat symptoms of trauma. Through trauma therapy, I am able to help families learn skills and strategies to help them learn, cope with, and process their emotions […]
March Family Activity – Egg Matching Game
Spring has sprung! Looking for a fun and seasonal way to bring the family together? Try our this colo
Discussing Healthy Relationships With Your Children
Meggie Evans, LCSW-S, Assistant Director of Clinical Services February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023), about 1 in 12 high school students experience physical dating violence, and an additional 1 in 12 experience sexual dating violence. While these statistics are unsettling, we can help […]
February Family Activity – Conversation Hearts
Keeping Your Kids Safe this Holiday Season
Holly Dotson, LPC-Supervisor, DCAC Director of Clinical Services The holidays can be a magical time of year, and while we hope the holidays bring kids and families joy, they can also bring an increase in unsafe situations for children. Breaks in the school year can often increase a potential perpetrator’s access to children without adult […]
DCAC Summer Reading List
Summer is officially here! Looking for a few new books to stock your shelves? Check out DCAC’s recommended summer reading list below, which selects books to promote bravery, confidence, and kindness for all ages.
Meet Jocelyn Morales
Explain your position with DCAC: I am a receptionist at the front desk and the first person clients see when they arrive at the center; their experience starts with me. Being positive and sharing a smile is essential to assuring that the children feel safe. It’s my priority to ensure they get connected to the […]
Meet Farley Morris
Explain your position with DCAC: As a Children’s Programming Advocate, I manage waiting rooms and provide engaging, supportive, and psycho-education-based activities for every child that enters our building starting on their first day. What led you to work at DCAC: I believe that childhood is one of the most significant parts of a person’s life, many […]
Meet Pat Bastidas
Explain your position with DCAC: I provide support to the Forensic Interview team in a variety of ways, some ways include; scheduling interviews, interpreting for partners, and scheduling transportation for families to make sure they can make it to the Center for their interview. What led you to work at DCAC: I know several people that have […]
Meet Brittany McGowan
Explain your position with DCAC: As a National Training Specialist, I educate the community at large, child-serving organizations, parents, and children on child abuse prevention. I provide resources and information on how to keep children safe and what signs and symptoms to look out for, as well as resources in case they ever have to […]
A Note from the CEO
Did you know that 92% of child abuse victims know their abusers? Most people want to believe that children are safe in their homes and protected from potential threats in the community. Unfortunately, however, this is not always the case. At Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC), we understand that in order to improve the lives […]
Meet Hillary Sullivan
Explain your position with DCAC: I guide our team of MDT Coordinators that provide support and coordination to our partners investigating child abuse cases to help ensure that children receive a collaborative investigation and are offered support services. What led you to work at DCAC: I had the opportunity to attend Appetite for Advocacy in […]
Meet Michael Margolis
Explain your position with DCAC: As a Forensic Interviewer, I provide the child with an opportunity to tell their story and truly listen to them. Previously, investigations had so many different disciplines when talking to the child about what happened to them. This can be both detrimental to the case and difficult for someone having […]
Meet Melissa Graham
Explain your position with DCAC: As a therapist, my job is primarily working face-to-face with children and their non-offending caregivers. We use evidence-based therapy practices to assess, diagnose, and treat symptoms of trauma. Our goal is always to help kids feel better and decrease trauma symptoms! Treatment empowers kiddos and their caregivers with coping skills and […]
Meet Marisha DeVore
Explain your position with DCAC: I am one of two Children’s Programming Advocates. I manage waiting rooms and provide engaging, supportive, and psycho-education-based activities for every kiddo that enters our building; that includes but isn’t limited to FI, Therapy, and assisting CPS. I have a mini caseload of clients who I meet with weekly to […]