An Act relative to children’s advocacy centers and the Massachusetts children’s alliance

This bill creates the Massachusetts Children's Alliance as a statewide organization to support children's advocacy centers (CACs) across Massachusetts. It requires CACs to meet specific national accreditation standards, including having multidisciplinary teams (law enforcement, medical, mental health, etc.) that provide coordinated, trauma-informed services to child abuse victims and their families. The Alliance will fund CACs, manage data collection, and ensure centers follow protocols for forensic interviews and victim support to reduce duplication and trauma. These changes directly affect all CACs in the state, ensuring consistent, high-quality responses to child maltreatment cases.