Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center

What Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center does

Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center (ECCAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1997 and operational since October 2000, providing advocacy, trauma-informed therapy, and prevention education to child abuse and neglect victims ages 2-18 in Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Florida. Services are delivered free of charge through three physical centers—a 13,000 SF headquarters in Niceville, the Julie Sacco Porterfield Center in Fort Walton Beach (reopened 2023 after fire/flood), and the Pierce Family Center in DeFuniak Springs (opened 2016)—and a school-based prevention program. The core service portfolio consists of the 24/7 A-Team Advocacy Program, Treatment & Therapy Programs using TF-CBT, EMDR, and PCIT modalities, MBF Safety Matters prevention education, and the 2023-vintage CARES community-based family support initiative. ECCAC's distinctive operating model is the co-location of 11 state and local agency partners (Florida Department of Children and Families, Child Protection Team, State Attorney's Office, Okaloosa and Walton County Sheriff's Offices, and law enforcement) under a 1999 Memorandum of Agreement, enabling a multidisciplinary team approach where children disclose abuse only once and receive coordinated forensic interviewing, therapy, and prosecution support.

ECCAC earns no service revenue; it operates on a donation-based model with seven tiers of recurring Champion memberships ranging from $10/month to $10,000/year, individual one-time and recurring donations, annual event proceeds (Gala & Golf Weekend, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation participation, Christmas Toy Drive), community grants (United Way Emerald Coast), and an active four-million dollar capital campaign (approximately 10% funded) supporting multi-site expansion. The organization reports that 90% of donations go directly to programs and holds National Children's Alliance accreditation (since 2001, with re-accreditations in 2007, 2014, and 2019). It is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors and led by CEO Julie Porterfield, Chief of Operations Solange Arnett, and Clinical Supervisor Jamie Rickert, supported by 11-50 staff. Technology footprint is limited to NeonCRM, a WordPress site, and standard communications tools; there are no AI, SaaS, or technology product components to the offering.

Name

Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center

Legal name

Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center, Inc.

Website

https://eccac.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free advocacy, trauma-informed therapy, and prevention education to child abuse and neglect victims ages 2-18 across Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Florida, through three centers and a co-located multidisciplinary team of 11 agency partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Advocacy and Family Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH)

Keywords

• Child abuse prevention
• Trauma therapy services
• Victim advocacy support
• Children's mental health
• Child safety education

Headquarters

HQ city

Niceville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring monetary donations from individuals supporting the mission to end child abuse and neglect. Donations can be made online or by mail.
2. Champions of Hope Membership Program: Monthly and annual membership tiers ranging from $10/month to $10,000/year that support ongoing center needs, therapy programs, and prevention education.
3. Special Events Revenue: Annual fundraising events including the Gala & Golf Weekend and participation in the Destin Charity Wine Auction that generate donations and sponsorship revenue.
4. Capital Campaign: Four-million dollar capital campaign for CARES Centers expansion, currently at approximately 10% of goal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ECCAC delivers free, multidisciplinary child advocacy and trauma-informed therapeutic services to child abuse and neglect victims ages 2-18 in Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Florida. Its core offerings include 24/7 victim advocacy through the A-Team, evidence-based therapy (TF-CBT, EMDR, PCIT) delivered by licensed clinicians, and school-based prevention education using the MBF Safety Matters curriculum. All services are provided at no cost to children and families, with 11 state and local agency partners co-located at three physical centers to coordinate investigation, prosecution, and healing.

Product overview

Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center operates as a unified service organization offering advocacy, therapy, and prevention programs from its three facilities in Niceville, Fort Walton Beach, and DeFuniak Springs, Florida. The core services include the A-Team Advocacy Program providing 24/7 victim and mental health support, Treatment & Therapy Programs utilizing evidence-based modalities (TF-CBT, EMDR, PCIT), and Prevention Education through the MBF Safety Matters curriculum. The CARES (Community Awareness, Advocacy, Resources, Education and Support) Program extends the organization's reach to prevent children from entering the welfare system. Supporting services include the Beacon of Hope newsletter, annual Gala & Golf fundraising event, and Champion membership donation program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advocacy Services (A-Team) 24/7 victim and mental health advocacy services provided by a highly trained team that supports children and families through the investigation and healing process. Services include forensic interview coordination, court testimony support, safety planning, and family advocacy, delivered in coordination with 11 state and local agency partners.
• Treatment & Therapy Programs Free, trauma-informed therapeutic services for children ages 2-18 who have experienced abuse, neglect, or trauma, utilizing evidence-based treatment modalities including TF-CBT, EMDR, and PCIT. Services are delivered by licensed clinicians and include individual trauma-focused therapy, family therapy, and crisis counseling.
• Prevention Education (Safety Matters) In-person school-based prevention training including MBF Child Safety Matters for elementary schools and MBF Teen Safety Matters for middle schools. Teaches children strategies to prevent, recognize, and respond appropriately to abuse, exploitation, and unsafe situations, and is delivered directly in Okaloosa and Walton County schools.
• CARES Program Community-based initiative providing preventive services to families to keep children out of the child welfare system. Includes parenting education, job support, household budgeting assistance, emergency housing, transportation, essential supplies, home visits, and family support services for at-risk families and domestic violence victims.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of child abuse is preventable through education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe state agency responsible for the initial investigation of reports of child sexual and physical abuse and neglect. DCF leads the Child Abuse Task Force that formed in 1992 and recommended establishing a children's advocacy center.
• Child Protection Team (CPT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPT staff is specially trained to conduct forensic interviews, medical evaluations and to give expert court testimony. They work from ECCAC facilities.
• State Attorney's Office (SAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssistant State Attorneys assigned to prosecute all child neglect, physical and sexual abuse cases in Okaloosa and Walton Counties work at ECCAC centers.
• Local Law Enforcement AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficers with special training lead the criminal investigation of child abuse cases and work with ECCAC's multidisciplinary team approach.
• Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual charity wine auction event that benefits children in need in Northwest Florida. ECCAC participates as a beneficiary organization.
• United Way Emerald CoastmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal volunteer-based organization bringing individuals and groups together to fight for health, education, and financial stability of every person in Okaloosa and Walton counties.
• Emeril (emeril.org)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting the mission to end child abuse.
• SimpleHRminorOthersLocal HR services company supporting ECCAC as a community partner.
• Throwdown WeekendminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting ECCAC's mission and events.
• Okaloosa County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw enforcement partner protecting 180,000+ year-round residents and many thousands of tourists with full range of Law Enforcement services.
• Walton County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw enforcement partner committed to ensuring the community is a safe place to live, work and visit.
• Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization that exists to create a safer environment for abused children, empowering them not to feel afraid. BACA stands ready to lend support to wounded friends.
• Monique Burr Foundation (MBF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides the evidence-based MBF Child Safety Matters and MBF Teen Safety Matters prevention education programs used in ECCAC's prevention program since 2017.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Children's Alliance: National membership and accreditation body for children's advocacy centers. Sets the operational standards ECCAC must meet, operates member CACs across the U.S., and is the closest direct peer in terms of mission and service model.
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: National nonprofit providing resources and assistance to victims of child abduction and exploitation. Overlaps with ECCAC on child exploitation victim advocacy and prevention education mandates.
• Childhelp: National nonprofit dedicated to the treatment and prevention of child abuse, operating residential programs, hotlines, and prevention education. Directly comparable mission and mix of direct-service therapy plus prevention programming.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National mentoring nonprofit serving at-risk youth, including those impacted by abuse and neglect. Comparable target population (children 2–18) and volunteer-driven delivery model, though focused on mentoring rather than therapy.
• Darkness to Light: National nonprofit focused specifically on child sexual abuse prevention through training and education programs. Highly comparable mission focus given that 71% of ECCAC's caseload is sexual abuse.
• Prevent Child Abuse America: National chapter-based nonprofit focused on preventing child abuse and neglect through education, advocacy, and research. Operates a state chapter network structurally similar to how ECCAC operates its county-level outreach.

Broad incumbents

• Casey Family Programs: Large national foundation working to reduce the need for foster care and improve long-term outcomes for children in child welfare systems. Comparable population served (abused/neglected children) but operates at much broader scale across multiple states.
• Child Welfare League of America: National membership organization for child welfare agencies, including advocacy, public policy, and service delivery standards. Overlaps with ECCAC on child welfare advocacy but operates at the umbrella/membership level rather than as a direct provider.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit serving at-risk youth with after-school programming, mentoring, and prevention services. Comparable youth-facing nonprofit model and donor base, though broader in scope (not abuse-specific).

Regional players

• Children's Advocacy Center of Northeast Florida: Regional children's advocacy center serving multiple Northeast Florida counties. Closest structural peer — same NCA-accredited CAC model, same multidisciplinary co-location approach — but operating in a different Florida region without geographic overlap.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ECCAC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center