Inside the Nation’s First Children’s Advocacy Center on a Military Base—How Fort Cavazos Is Leading the Charge to Protect Kids
Fort Cavazos becomes the first U.S. military base with a Children’s Advocacy Center, setting a national trend for family-focused support.
- First-ever Children’s Advocacy Center on a military installation nationwide.
- Over 10,000 children and families served in Central Texas since 1997.
- Multidisciplinary team approach for support, investigation, and healing.
A groundbreaking step towards protecting military children has arrived. Fort Cavazos now hosts the United States’ first-ever Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) established directly on a military base—a bold innovation hailed as a potential model for installations nationwide.
As families watched on June 5, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Central Texas (CACCT) cut the ribbon for its dedicated satellite office on post. It’s an achievement powered by a partnership between CACCT, the Office of Special Trial Counsel, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, cultivated since April 2023.
Military leadership and nonprofit experts agree: this resource will transform lives. The new center delivers forensic interviews, family advocacy, and mental health services—all in one “child-friendly” environment. Leaders stress the center’s vital role in safeguarding kids and supporting the readiness of troops by ensuring their families are protected and assisted.
Why Now? The Military’s Critical Need for On-Post Children’s Support
Before this innovation, military families often had no choice but to seek help miles away—an added challenge for those already contending with the pressures of service. Now, access to crucial trauma support, counseling, and advocacy has come home to Fort Cavazos.
The center’s multidisciplinary team includes experts in law enforcement, mental health, medicine, and child protection. Together, they ensure that child victims of abuse or trauma receive support, forensically sound interviews, and seamless family advocacy, streamlining recovery while building solid legal cases.
According to officials, the work at Fort Cavazos will ensure justice is served while helping families heal. The intention, leaders stress, is to set a national standard—a model that other military posts may soon follow.
Q&A: What Services Does the Fort Cavazos CAC Offer?
Q: What exactly happens at the new center?
Services include forensic interviews, family resource advocacy, and comprehensive mental health care for children and adults. Specialized professionals meet with families, connect them to community resources, and provide trauma-focused therapy, allowing the healing process to begin without leaving base.
Q: Why is a Military-Based CAC so Revolutionary?
This is the first time an advocacy center is located inside a military installation. The move eradicates barriers to access, ensures closer partnerships with prosecutors, and gives families a safer, faster route to vital help.
How Can Other Military Bases Implement This Model?
Interested bases can replicate the Covazos model by partnering with organizations like the U.S. Army, building agreements with advocacy groups, and working closely with military legal teams. The multidisciplinary approach—law enforcement, medical, legal, and mental health—provides a holistic solution for child protection and family wellness.
The broader military community can also learn more through resources at the U.S. Department of Defense and leading child advocacy organizations.
What’s Next? The Nationwide Impact for America’s Military Kids
With more than 10,000 children and families already helped by CACCT since 1997, the Fort Cavazos expansion signals a nationwide call for action. Officials hope to see advocacy centers on every sizable installation, making vital therapies and legal protections part of life on base across America.
Military families at Fort Cavazos now benefit from powerful, close-at-hand support. Leaders hope the “Cavazos way” will become the Army way—an example destined to inspire every branch.
Take Action: Want to Support or Replicate the Model? Here’s Your Checklist
- Spread awareness—share this news within your network.
- Visit your local Children’s Advocacy Center to learn about services.
- Encourage military and civic leaders to expand on-base child-focused resources.
- Access resources at Child Welfare Information Gateway and Military OneSource.
Your voice and involvement can help make every military base a safer, more supportive place for our nation’s children.
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