NORWICH – The Chenango County Child Advocacy Center was recently presented accreditation by the National Children’s Alliance following an extensive application and site review process.

The National Children’s Alliance awards different levels of accreditation and membership to centers responding to allegations of child abuse. Since it is now nationally accredited – reaching tier one status of a three-tier system – the CAC of Chenango County is eligible for more state and federal funding and more likely to receive further training for its staff. The CAC is dependent on state money, receiving 60 percent of its funding through the state and getting additional support from the Office of Public Health and its parent organization, Catholic Charities of Chenango County.

“We have to always be looking at what we are doing and how to do it better,” said Chenango County CAC Director Mike Middaugh. Middaugh, who has headed the center since November, added that “this accreditation means that we’re doing something right.”

The entire application process has been in the works since 2006, said Daniel Auwarter, director of the crime victims program at Catholic Charities. In order to meet the requirements of a tier one status, he explained that the CAC had to proficiently meet ten standards set by the National Children’s Alliance. According to these standards, the CAC must utilize a functioning and effective multidisciplinary team approach to work in child abuse investigations, prosecutions and treatment.