"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"
Meet the people who help
One of the scariest things a child can go through is abuse. It robs them of their sense of safety, even of their sense of self. But, when a child in America is experiencing abuse, that's not the end of the story.
People who help
We invite you to meet five real employees of Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) from across the country. They met at the CAC in Manhattan, New York City, in 2025 to tell their stories: A nonprofit boss, a prosecutor, a counselor, and two therapists. NCA interviewed them in the real setting where children get help in crisis. Below you’ll find clips and quotes from five real people who help.
In the CAC movement, we pride ourselves not only on knowing the right way to help a child in crisis, based on the latest science. Even more importantly, our people care deeply about healing and justice for each child that comes through the doors. No one chooses this work for any other reason.
Kristina, Therapist, New York
Kristina Coleman is a therapist and clinical director at Safe Horizon in New York City, the nation's largest victim services agency. She's a national leader in children's mental health programming and a veteran expert national voice. She's also a mother, a native New Yorker, and a hero to the kids she's served over the years as they recover from trauma. Kids are what matters most to Kristina and her colleagues at Safe Horizon. See her interview clip and quotes about what a CAC means below.
John, Counselor, New York
John Pickett is a counselor at Safe Horizon in New York City. He has led the Manhattan CAC in the past, and today serves in a role helping Safe Horizon staff serve children better in all five of the city's boroughs. He's a father and a native Midwesterner whose gentle nature has helped him serve New York city families with care and warmth for more than a decade. See his interview clip and a quote about what children should find at a CAC below.
Lou Anna, Prosecutor, Kentucky
Lou Anna Red Corn is the former Commonwealth's Attorney for Fayette County, Kentucky. How does a prosecutor end up being an advocate for children? By spending decades fighting for their justice in the courtroom. Lou Anna is what we call "all in"; she's one of the thousands of community professionals who go above and beyond the requirements of their job to make their community a better place to be a kid. See her interview clip and quotes about what real justice means below.
Emily, CAC Director, Indiana
Emily Perry is the director of three Children's Advocacy Centers, operating as Susie's Place, across Indiana. Her creativity and caring for the kids in the community where her agency operates lead her to think about ways to tie in all the stored-up goodwill and put it to action. As a mom, a Midwesterner, and a community leader, Emily is an archetype CAC professional. See quotes and video on what makes CACs work below.
Esther, Therapist, Maryland
Esther Vanderwal is a seasoned CAC therapist with practices in Maryland and Texas. In areas where CAC don't have on-staff therapists, outside practices like Esther's integrate seamlessly to make sure kids get the care they need to recover. Esther is a mom and a businesswoman, but for the kids she serves, she's a caring, highly trained mental health professional who's in their corner. See her quotes and video below about what it means to pay it forward.
