Children's Advocacy Centers of Oklahoma, Inc.

?? **Celebrating 5 Years of Leadership: Congratulations, Carrie Little!** ?? This month, we proudly celebrate **5 years** of dedicated leadership from our Executive Director, **Carrie Little**! Since stepping into the role in **March 2020—just weeks before a national shutdown**—Carrie has led CACO through tremendous growth and impact. Under Carrie’s leadership, CACO has: ? **Expanded from 1 to 2 full-time staff** to better serve our members. ? **Secured critical ARPA funding and protective supplies** for CACs during the pandemic. ? **Worked with legislators** to increase **state funding from $2.8M to $5.6M** in 2023, helping CACs and MDTs recover from VOCA funding losses. ? **Grown our membership** by assisting communities in developing fully accredited CACs. ? **Enhanced statewide training and programming**, strengthening the Oklahoma child advocacy network. Carrie’s passion, expertise, and **unwavering commitment** have helped build **a stronger, more unified network** for child advocacy in Oklahoma. Her leadership has **transformed challenges into opportunities**, ensuring CACs have the resources and support they need to protect children. We are beyond grateful for the incredible impact Carrie has made—and **we can’t wait to see what the future holds under her leadership!** ???? #ThankYouCarrie #ChildAdvocacy #Leadership #StrongerTogether #CACO

?? **SAVE THE DATE: CACO’s 2025 Art & Advocacy Fundraiser!** ???? Mark your calendars for **August 7, 2025**, and join us at **Circle Cinema in Tulsa** for the **opening event** of our annual Art & Advocacy fundraiser! This **free, family-friendly event** will feature a stunning selection of artwork available for purchase throughout August, all in support of **Children’s Advocacy Centers of Oklahoma (CACO) programming**. ?? **Event Details:** ?? **Location:** Circle Cinema, Tulsa ?? **Date:** August 7, 2025 ? **Time:** 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ?? **What to Expect:** ? **Exclusive Art Display** – View and bid on incredible works from talented artists. ? **Support Child Advocacy** – Every purchase helps fund vital services for children in Oklahoma. ? **Art Experiences & Dining Packages** – Unique auction items beyond fine art! Come enjoy an evening celebrating art and advocacy, featuring a special preview of select pieces available for purchase all month at Circle Cinema. ?? Online Art Auction: ?? August 25 - 27, 2025 ?? Bid on a diverse selection of: ?? Fine Art ?? Student Artwork ?? Art Experiences ?? Dining Experiences ...and so much more! ?? Want to **sponsor** or **donate art**? Connect with us! ?? **Carrie Little:** [email protected] | ?? 918-805-0010 Visit **https://lnkd.in/gX8diBMJ for details on sponsorships, donations, and more! Let’s come together for a night of **art, advocacy, and impact!** ???? #CACO #ArtAndAdvocacy #SupportCACs #ChildAdvocacy #SaveTheDate

?? Who We Are: Children’s Advocacy Centers of Oklahoma (CACO) ?? CACO is the nationally accredited state chapter for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) in Oklahoma, recognized by the National Children’s Alliance (NCA). As a nonprofit membership organization, our mission is to unite child abuse professionals across the state to ensure that every child has access to evidence-based, accredited CAC services. We proudly support: ? 21 Nationally Accredited CACs ? 3 Developing CACs ? Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Teams ?? How We Work ?? Our work is driven by our members—we do not take on projects, public advocacy efforts, or statewide initiatives without full support and approval from our accredited CAC members. Every statewide initiative, training, and project is planned, discussed, and voted on by our membership, ensuring that our work remains aligned with the needs of Oklahoma’s child advocacy professionals. ?? What We Do ?? ? Public Advocacy – Raising awareness and influencing policies to protect Oklahoma’s children. ? Statewide Projects – Leading initiatives that strengthen the child advocacy response across the state. ? Training & Support – Equipping professionals with best practices through peer groups, technical assistance, and expert-led trainings. At CACO, we are committed to empowering CACs, strengthening MDTs, and ensuring every child has access to high-quality, trauma-informed services. Our strength lies in collaboration, member-driven initiatives, and a shared commitment to protecting children. ?? Together, we are creating a safer Oklahoma for all children.

??? Announcing the 2025 CACO Art & Advocacy Fundraiser! ??? Join us for CACO’s Exclusive Online Art Auction, where creativity meets advocacy! Every bid supports Children’s Advocacy Centers of Oklahoma (CACO) programming, helping us strengthen services for children and families across the state. ?? Opening Event: ?? Circle Cinema, Tulsa ?? August 7, 2025 | 6 PM - 8 PM ?? Free & Family-Friendly! Come enjoy an evening celebrating art and advocacy, featuring a special preview of select pieces available for purchase all month at Circle Cinema. ?? Online Art Auction: ?? August 25 - 27, 2025 ?? Bid on a diverse selection of: ?? Fine Art ?? Student Artwork ?? Art Experiences ?? Dining Experiences ...and so much more! ?? Get Involved! Interested in sponsoring or donating art? Connect with us today! ?? Carrie Little | [email protected] | 918-805-0010 ?? Learn more & access the 2025 Sponsorship Form: https://lnkd.in/g_qZpYyj Help us turn art into action and create brighter futures for children in Oklahoma! ?? #CACOArtAuction #ArtAndAdvocacy #SupportCACO #BidForACause #OklahomaArtists #ChildAdvocacy

**A Huge Thank You to Cara Vock, Kori Stephens & PostOak Lodge!** Strategic planning is a vital part of strengthening the future of child advocacy in Oklahoma, and we couldn’t have done it without Cara Vock from Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center! Cara, as the Program Manager for Chapter Development, brought incredible expertise in facilitating our membership strategic planning retreat, helping shape the path ahead for CACO and our members. We also want to extend a huge thank you to Kori Stephens for the dedication and hard work poured into making our retreat a success. Their continued guidance and collaboration with CACO staff and Board members are ensuring that our next Strategic Plan is both impactful and actionable. A special thank you to @POSTOAK Lodge and Retreat in Tulsa for providing the perfect setting for this important work. The beautiful space and hospitality made for a productive and refreshing retreat experience! Great things are happening in the child advocacy sector of Oklahoma, and we are excited about what’s ahead! Thank you, Cara, Kori, and PostOak Lodge, for your leadership and support. ?? #StrategicPlanning #ChildAdvocacy #Collaboration #CACO #PostOakLodge

Celebrating Ronni Roney and Welcoming Courtney Buscher! As we reflect on the incredible work accomplished this year, we want to take a moment to celebrate Ronni Roney, who has served as CACO’s Victim/Family Advocate Peer Group Facilitator for the past two years. Ronni has been a steadfast leader, mentor, and advocate for victim support across Oklahoma. Her dedication to training advocates on secondary trauma, child abuse prevention, and community education has elevated the work of Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) statewide. ?? Her impact extends far beyond her role at Abbott House Advocacy Center. By mentoring advocates across Oklahoma’s 20 accredited CACs, Ronni has strengthened the entire network, ensuring children and families receive the highest level of care and advocacy. Ronni’s work has truly been transformative, and we are so grateful for her contributions! As we thank Ronni for her incredible service, we are thrilled to welcome Courtney Buscher, Manager of Family Advocacy at Child Advocacy Network, as our new Victim/Family Advocate Peer Group Facilitator! Courtney brings extensive experience and passion to this role, including: ?? Establishing Family Advocacy programs aligned with National Children’s Alliance standards ?? Managing and mentoring advocacy teams ?? Delivering training on child abuse reporting, MDT protocols, and self-care for professionals ?? Demonstrated leadership in child protection, critical thinking, and public speaking Courtney’s expertise and vision will undoubtedly help us continue to grow and enhance the resources we provide to CACs and their multidisciplinary teams across the state. Thank you, Ronni, for your years of dedicated service, and welcome, Courtney! We are excited for what’s ahead as we work together to support Oklahoma’s children and families. ?? #ChildAdvocacy #Leadership #Collaboration #CACO

**Celebrating 2024: Growth, Development, and Collaboration Across Oklahoma** As we continue to reflect on the incredible work accomplished in 2024, we want to highlight the collaborative efforts that have strengthened our network of Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) across Oklahoma. A special shoutout goes to **WithInsight Consulting Group** for their invaluable support in facilitating our **Growth & Development Roundtables** and conducting the **Statewide Salary Survey** within our CAC Network. These initiatives have provided crucial insights to help improve organizational effectiveness, foster team growth, and ensure that our advocacy efforts remain impactful and sustainable. Your partnership has been instrumental in helping us build a more connected and empowered CAC community. Thank you for helping us pave the way for growth, innovation, and a brighter future for Oklahoma’s children and families. Together, we are stronger, and the work we’ve done in 2024 sets a solid foundation for continued success in 2025. ?? #ChildAdvocacy #CACO #Collaboration #GrowthAndDevelopment #Oklahoma

**Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Growth, Collaboration, and Impact** As 2024 comes to a close, the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Oklahoma (CACO) reflects with gratitude on a year marked by progress and meaningful partnerships in the child advocacy sector. Together with our members, MDT partners, and supporters, we’ve achieved milestones that reinforce our mission to ensure safety, healing, and hope for Oklahoma’s children. This year, we: - **Strengthened Training & Resources**: Facilitated dynamic trainings, including Advanced MDT Facilitation, Motivational Interviewing, Hope Science, and sessions addressing Secondary Trauma and Self-Care. - **Enhanced Collaboration**: Hosted peer groups for Forensic Interviewers, Victim/Family Advocates, and MDT Facilitators, fostering growth and connection among CAC professionals statewide. - **Delivered Technical Support**: Dedicated countless hours to supporting our members and their multidisciplinary teams, helping advance the crucial work they do in child abuse investigations and prevention. Special thanks to our remarkable presenters and partners who contributed their time and expertise: ?? Haruv USA ?? Dr. Evie Trevino ?? Candice Primm ?? ADA Lori McConnell ?? Jill McAbee (Board Member and Executive Director) ?? Tisha Boggs (Forensic Interviewer Peer Review Group Facilitator) ?? Ronni Roney (Victim/Family Advocate Peer Review Group Facilitator) ?? Stephanie Bishop (Assistant General, Cherokee Nation Office of the Attorney General) ?? Jessica Lawmaster We also celebrate the leadership of **Executive Director Carrie Little** and **Director of Strategic Initiatives Roxanne Mayer**, who spearheaded impactful initiatives to support CACs and MDT members across the state. As we honor the achievements of 2024, we eagerly anticipate the opportunities ahead in 2025. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible journey—we couldn’t do it without you. Here’s to another year of progress, resilience, and hope! ?? #ChildAdvocacy #CACO #2024Achievements #PartnershipsForChange #2025Goals

?? **Spotlight on Leadership & Expertise** ?? We’re thrilled to celebrate CAC Executive Director and CACO Board Member, Dustin Albright, for being featured in a two-part video series, **Understanding and Investigating Cases Involving Problematic Sexual Behaviors (PSBs) for Law Enforcement**, alongside Geoff Sidoli from the @NationalChildrensAlliance (NCA). Dustin is with @TheCARECampus brings a wealth of experience as a former child abuse detective, showcasing the incredible expertise we have within Oklahoma’s child advocacy sector. ?? This series is a valuable tool for Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs) and law enforcement, equipping them with the knowledge to approach PSB cases with care, understanding, and effectiveness. We are proud to have such dedicated and knowledgeable leaders advancing the critical work we do across Oklahoma! #ChildAdvocacy #ProblematicSexualBehaviors #OklahomaLeadership #LawEnforcementTraining #MDT ?? Watch the series here: https://lnkd.in/eGNETSSS

Yesterday, CACO Directors came together in Tulsa to celebrate an incredible 2024! ?? With representatives from 14 of our 21 Accredited CACs, the Member Luncheon was a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the remarkable year we've had in the child advocacy sector. A highlight of the day was diving into the results of the statewide Staff and Cultural Survey conducted earlier this year with the help of WithInsight Consulting. This survey provided valuable insights to strengthen our network and improve support for our teams across Oklahoma. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making 2024 one of the best years in CACO's history! We’re inspired by the progress we've made and excited for the opportunities 2025 holds. Here's to another impactful year of advocacy and care for children and families across our state. ?? Thank you to @TheGatheringPlace for hosting our members! ?? It was such a beautiful and inspiring venue, the perfect setting for collaboration and celebration. We are so grateful for the opportunity to come together in such a wonderful space. ?? #ChildAdvocacy #TogetherWeThrive #CACO2024