Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center logo | Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center in Panama City, Florida operates on the fundamental belief that the best interests of the a victim should be protected. Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) provides a compassionate alternative to traditional investigations.

Silent Epidemic-News Herald

PANAMA CITY - On Sunday evenings, Lori Allen sits down to scan national news headlines, looking for any case involving serious child abuse or child homicide. Allen, executive director of the Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center, can usually guess the facts of a case just by reading the headline. On a child homicide, the perpetrator generally will be a non-related caregiver - typically a boyfriend. There's usually a history of maternal substance abuse, previous instances of domestic violence at the home and the child usually will be 2 years old or younger. Last year, the exact situation played out in Calhoun County, when 2-year old Anya Dziura was killed by her mother's boyfriend, Stephen Young. Young pleaded no contest to aggravated manslaughter of a child, while Jessica Dziura, the girl's mother, was given a six-year sentence for child neglect. Reports and substantiated instances of child abuse in Bay County have increased during the past several years. In the last six months of 2015, the Department of Children and Families received 1,345 reports of child maltreatment, including neglect, physical and sexual abuse. Of those claims, 151 were substantiated with a serious finding from DCF. In the first six months of this year, there already have been 1,566 calls, and 172 serious findings. Allen, whose organization sees referrals from the six-county area of Circuit 14, saw just more than 1,100 children in 2014. Last year, 1,325 children were referred to them, and this year, they're on pace to break 1,500 cases. But, Allen said, it's not just about the numbers. "People look at those statistics and they think, 'Wow that's really tragic,' " she said. "When you put a face and a name and an experience to that ... there are some schools that don't even have that many children enrolled."

http://www.newsherald.com/news/20161122/silent-epidemic

GCCAC to benefit from the Bay Point Billfish Open

The Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center has partnered with the Bay Point Billfish Open for the tournament held June 28-July 1, 2023. The GCCAC will benefit from all sales of adult wine, beer and spirits. Our agency is grateful to the organizers and support of the Bay Point Billfish Open for supporting our mission.

Read more
Parent Child Interactive Therapy Newsletter

Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a therapy program in which the therapist partners with caregivers to strengthen the relationship with their child(ren) and learn to set limits in a healthy and effective way.

Read more
Local Partnerships Expand Project Lifesaver

Local Partnerships Expand Project Lifesaver collaboration among Bay Health Foundation, Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Alzheimer’s Alliance & Springfield Police Department, Panama City Beach Police Department and Bay County Sheriff’s Office

Read more
2019 Annual Report

We are proud of our collective work accomplished during the post-disaster year following Hurricane Michael. There is no doubt #loveprotects.

Read more
Resources for Parents During Pandemic

1.5 billion children are impacted by school closure. To help parents better interact with their children during this time of confinement, check out #COVID19Parenting tips on staying positive, creating a daily routine and managing stress - bit.ly/COVID19_parenting #coronavirus

Read more