The Center for Children & Families

About The Center for Children & Families

The Center for Children and Families is redefining the way children in crisis are being served in communities throughout Louisiana. What began in 1999 as a tiny back room office, has now grown into a thriving, nationally recognized non-profit agency that stands as a beacon of hope for those in crisis situations. Our passion is to promote safe, healthy environments through advocacy, counseling, education and prevention. Our agency consists of five programs, CASA of Northeast Louisiana, The Children's Advocacy Center of Northeast Louisiana, Therapeutic Services, Brokers of Hope, and FSYTP: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) When an abused or neglected child is removed from their home and placed in foster care, a Court Appointed Special Advocate (or CASA) serves as the voice for this child by being the eyes and ears for the court system. Our trained staff recruit and coordinate volunteers to advocate for the child's best interest, and ultimately provide stability and support during this time. The Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) The CAC of Northeast LA serves child victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, human trafficking, or witnesses to violent crimes. At the CAC, specially trained forensic interviewers provide all that is needed to help victims: Assessments, Forensic Interviews, Medical Exams, and Victim Support Services. Children who visit the CAC are able to talk about their experiences in a safe & supportive environment— reducing trauma & also aiding in any future prosecution efforts. Therapeutic Services Through this division, we provide innovative therapeutic treatment services that specifically target fractured family relationships. Our goal is to empower families to build safe and nurturing home environments. We offer assessments, intensive counseling sessions with masters-level therapists, crisis intervention for emergency help, life skills training, connection to concrete resources, and trauma-informed treatment plans. Brokers of Hope This program is designed to provide hope in Union Parish to families in crisis, and create a pathway to a community ready to help. This is achieved through counseling and crisis intervention, the development of a resource network (comprised of community members, organizations, and churches) willing to provide support to impoverished families with assessed and valid needs, and coordinating with local citizens to provide opportunities for the community to connect with families in meaningful and empowering ways. Family Support and Youth Transition Program (FSYTP) This is a statewide program that works in coordination with the Office of Juvenile Justice. FSYTP works with youth who are in danger of being incarcerated, are currently incarcerated, or have recently been released from incarceration. Our goal is to prevent incarceration by working with a youth on life skills and helping them find appropriate ways of meeting his or her needs. If a youth is incarcerated, the goal is to help them transition back into their family, back into school, and back into the community, with as little shock as possible.