Mission: To provide support, education, and access to funding for Idaho communities striving to develop and maintain regional children’s advocacy centers
History: Idaho’s first children’s advocacy center was established in 1989 at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Boise, after a Governor’s Task Force report cited the fact that the system designed to protect children was re-victimizing them through lack of coordination during investigations and by repetitive interviewing of children. In 1995 a second center was established in Twin Falls. The centers were named Children At Risk Evaluation Services (CARES) because both communities received Children at Risk Evaluation Service start-up grant funding from the Meyer Memorial Trust. In 2001, CARES in Boise and Twin Falls joined forces to form the Idaho Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (INCAC). INCAC is a state chapter of the National Children’s Alliance. INCAC receives a $15,000 annual non-competitive grant from National Children’s Alliance. INCAC has and continues to provide support to Idaho communities striving to develop a children’s advocacy center. Programs have opened in Pocatello (Bright Tomorrows), Idaho Falls (Snake River Children’s Advocacy Center) and Nampa (Nampa Family Justice Center). All Idaho child advocacy centers belong to the INCAC and work together in an effort to continue providing superior services to Idaho’s children and communities.
