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Children's Assessment Center urges more MDT coordinators amid rising caseloads
Summary
Carrie McCracken said the CAC reviews about 40,000 DFPS case intakes a year with a six-person MDT intake team; she prioritized adding MDT coordinators and child-advocate staff to ensure cases are identified and families supported as court dockets and resets create longer timelines.
Executive Director Carrie McCracken told commissioners the Children's Assessment Center is a county hub for forensic interviews, clinical assessment and family advocacy for children referred by law enforcement and DFPS.
McCracken said the CAC's multidisciplinary team services unit reviews about 40,000 statewide DFPS intakes each year for Harris County cases and that the unit is staffed by six people who determine whether a case meets CAC criteria and then assemble an MDT response. She said the MDT work is time-intensive and that staffing has not grown with caseloads since 2015.
The CAC asked for additional MDT coordinators and child-advocate positions. McCracken said advocates follow families through multiple court resets and that recent additions of four criminal courts have increased demand; she said advocates keep families engaged as cases are rescheduled and provide courtroom and service navigation.
On staff wellness, McCracken described investments such as a wellness lounge with massage chairs and peer-review supports to help clinicians and advocates manage trauma-exposed work. She also noted rising operating costs—janitorial and security—and the need to remain competitive on pay to retain mental-health clinicians in a tight labor market.
Commissioners pressed on caseload metrics and turnaround times; McCracken said daily MDT responses are immediate, while other case-review processes follow accreditation or grant-based timelines. She prioritized hiring MDT review staff first as the best way to ensure children in need are captured and brought to the CAC.
