Paulding Child
Advocacy Center
Prevention
Intervention
Advocacy
About PCAC
The Paulding Child Advocacy Center (PCAC) provides a neutral environment to talk with children. Our home-like setting allows children involved in abuse investigations to be interviewed by trained professionals in a friendly and comfortable environment. We assist in the coordination of investigations so that the various involved agencies work together for the best outcomes.
PCAC History
In August 2000, the Paulding Division of Family and Children Services and Paulding County Sheriff's Office began referring cases to the child advocacy center in Rome, Georgia (Harbor House). After more than 60 Paulding families were served by Harbor House, local agencies agreed that a center was needed in Paulding County to better serve the community. In 2003, land was donated and the Paulding Homebuilders Association began construction on what is now our current facility. Harbor House continued to provide trained staff to conduct forensic interviews at PCAC from 2004 through April 2017. In May 2017, PCAC became an independent center with its own staff and expanded services from not only forensic interviewing but also ongoing victim/family advocacy, on-site therapy, and specialized training for community members/professionals.
PCAC Staff
PCAC's staff consists of a full time Executive Director, Program Administrator, Forensic Interviewer, and Family Advocate. Part-time volunteer family advocates and therapists (through internships) assist full-time staff in the daily operations of the center.
Ivy Capps, MS, joined PCAC in November 2018 as Executive Director. She has over 28 years of experience in social services, conducting forensic interviews, providing therapy and victim advocacy, 20 of which were spent at child advocacy centers around the southeast. Ivy has conducted more than 2,000 interviews and feels that working at a child advocacy center is a 'calling' for her. To contact Ivy, email ivyc@pauldingcac.org.
Kelly McFearin, BA, joined PCAC in January 2018 as Program Administrator after 9 years as Administrator/Family Advocate at Harbor House CAC. Thanks to her affiliation with that center and it's involvement with Paulding law enforcement and DFCS, she had existing professional relationships with the Paulding community and thus made a smooth transition from Harbor House to PCAC. She has more than 26 years of experience in social services and child advocacy. To contact Kelly, email kellym@pauldingcac.org.
Sara Butler, BS, joined our Center in March 2024 as a Forensic Interviewer. Shecomes to us from a child advocacy center in Utah where she also conducted forensic interviews as well as assisted with accreditation efforts. Sara has a degree in Marriage and Family Studies from Brigham Young University-Idaho. She has experience in child care and education, and knows American Sign Language. You can contact Sara at sarab@pauldingcac.org
Latanza-LaSha' Abaurre, BA/BS, joined Paulding CAC in February 2024 as our Family Advocate. Latanza-LaSha' (also know as 'Lala') interned with PCAC several years ago while pursuing her degrees - she's come full circle, you might say! Lala assists families as they navigate the sometimes overwhelming process of abuse investigations by offering support, guidance, and needed community resources. You can email Lala at latanzaa@pauldingcac.org
PCAC Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors are volunteers from the community who dedicate themselves to the operation and mission of PCAC
President - Narda Konchel
Secretary - Dr. Karniese Daniel
Treasurer - Alex Crenshaw
Members - Tracy Brown, Brandon Chason, Katie Coleman, James Fisher, Selena Jackson-Guines, Amy Womack
Internships
Paulding CAC relies heavily on student interns to assist with providing services to children and their non-offending family members. Most often, we utilize graduate students from local colleges and universities for the provision of therapy and ongoing family advocacy.
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If you are interested in an internship with Paulding CAC, please contact ivyc@pauldingcac.org.
2023-2024 Interns:
Arkeyshaw Caldwell - Troy University
Lindsey Delgado-Harris - University of Georgia
Tajzhai McCray - University of Georgia
Annie Natson - Walden University
Jeriann Wiley - Kennesaw State University
Laura Hillhouse - Kennesaw State University
Paulding Child Advocacy Center is supported in part by the Children's Advocacy Centers of Georgia, Inc. and the Department of Human Services-Division of Family and Children Services through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly.
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The center is also supported in part by federal grants administered by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
