We achieve this by:

Strengthening Coordinated Responses: The Alliance provides training and technical assistance to Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs), ensuring law enforcement, child protection, social workers, prosecutors, medical, and mental health professionals respond in a seamless, child-focused way.

Developing and Supporting Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs): the Alliance grows and sustains a statewide network of CACs, setting standards and equipping them with best practices.

Empowering Professionals: the Alliance advocates for systemic change, delivers statewide training, and equips professionals across Minnesota with trauma-informed practices that improve outcomes for children.

A teen sits facing an adult as she speaks. The adult has her back to the camera and is taking notes. She is responding as a safe adult by listening to this young person.

Working together with:

Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs)
Children’s Advocacy Centers are safe, child-friendly spaces where children who have reported abuse can talk about what happened with a specially trained professional. Instead of facing multiple interviews at different agencies, children receive support in one place. At a CAC, law enforcement, child protection workers, medical providers, mental health professionals, and advocates work together to reduce trauma and provide the care children and families need to begin healing.

Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs)
Multidisciplinary Teams bring together professionals—such as law enforcement, social workers, prosecutors, forensic interviewers, medical and mental health providers—who coordinate their efforts to respond to child abuse cases. This collaborative approach ensures that children are protected, supported, and connected to resources while helping families navigate a complex system. The Alliance supports and strengthens these teams across Minnesota with training, guidance, and best practices.

Our Standards

Accredited children’s advocacy centers provide consistent, evidence-based services that center the child, adolescent and family.

Review Our Standards

Financials

The Minnesota Children’s Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We make financial information available on an ongoing basis.

See Reports and Numbers

Board of Directors

Board members represent professionals working in the field, children’s advocacy centers and community stakeholders.

Meet Our Board

Minnesota CACs

Minnesota children's advocacy centers serve 3,000 each year – find a center near you.

See the Map

Technical Assistance

Could you use support developing or training your team in coordinated response?

Get Started