Sierra County CAC (managed by La Piñon)

The La Pinon Children’s Advocacy Center is dedicated to providing forensically sound interviews for children and adolescents when there is suspected abuse and/or neglect, or they are witnesses to a crime. The intent of this service is to produce an interview using researched based methods that is forensically defensible and provide necessary advocacy services.

Our goal is to minimize the traumatic effect on the child of multiple interviews and connect child victims and their non-offending family members to community services, counseling and/or medical services, court follow-up services (VINE/ NMSAVIN), and early intervention services when identified.

The CAC is an active part of the Dona Ana County Multi-Disciplinary Taskforce that is composed of representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, local and state Law Enforcement agencies, Child Protective Services, Child Forensic Interviewers, Medical personnel, Mental Health professionals, and Victim Advocate services.

The CAC staffs four forensic interviewers who have been trained in various national models of basic and advanced forensic interviewing, and four case managers who provides follow up services.

The CAC is accredited with the National Children’s Alliance and is a full member of the New Mexico Children’s Alliance.