Our History
Our History
Our History
Seeking to address the issue of child abuse, a group of dedicated community members launched the Adams County Children’s Advocacy Center (ACCAC) in 2005. As one of the first child advocacy centers in Pennsylvania, ACCAC opened its doors in September 2006 at 450 W. Middle Street, in Gettysburg, with the goal to support child abuse victims
Seeking to address the issue of child abuse, a group of dedicated community members launched the Adams County Children’s Advocacy Center (ACCAC) in 2005. As one of the first child advocacy centers in Pennsylvania, ACCAC opened its doors in September 2006 at 450 W. Middle Street, in Gettysburg, with the goal to support child abuse victims and their families from initial outcry to healing; and to work to prevent child abuse via community outreach and prevention education activities.
ACCAC’s core services to children who have been abused – forensic interviews, medical examinations, multi-disciplinary case coordination, child and family advocacy, and trauma-informed therapy, as well as child abuse prevention education – are funded by public agencies, foundations, businesses, and individuals like you. Due to this generous support, ACCAC is able to provide these services to families free of charge.
Since 2021, ACCAC has been working to expand our mental health, prevention education, and on-going supports in order to build brighter tomorrows for child victims of abuse and their families, by adding new support groups for teens and adults, and expanding our Prevention Education into Pre-K settings throughout the county.
Recently, we purchased an additional building in Gettysburg (224 Baltimore Street) to provide the additional space needed to provide the expanded services. This larger facility will double our capacity to serve children and families throughout Adams County. The three-story, 1863 Victorian house will be renovated into a child-friendly, welcoming, ADA-compliant space that allows ACCAC to provide our current services, as well as additional support groups, community meetings, and community and professional trainings. We welcome the Adams County community to embrace the new Brighter Tomorrows Center as their own advocacy center, helping to bring the issue of child abuse “out of the shadows”, promoting health and healing for victims of abuse, and cultivating support to reduce and eliminate child abuse in our community. ACCAC believes that Adams County is our community, with our kids, and prevention is in our hands!
Our Mission
Our History
Our History
Our mission is to meet the needs of children and families in our community by providing a community- based, child-focused center that facilitates a compassionate, multidisciplinary approach to the prevention and treatment of child abuse.
Our Vision
Our History
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a community where children are safe, families are strong, and child victims can overcome the trauma of abuse to become children again.
