SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER
Small Talk Children's Advocacy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing coordinated forensic interviews, trauma-focused therapy, and prevention education at no cost to children and families impacted by abuse in Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersLansing, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER does
Small Talk Children's Advocacy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2011 in Lansing, Michigan, that delivers coordinated services for children and families impacted by child sexual abuse and severe physical abuse in Ingham and Eaton counties. The organization is fully accredited with the National Children's Alliance and operates from a single office at 3400 Pine Tree Road, Suite 106, Lansing. The leadership team, headed by Executive Director Alex Brace (appointed by Governor Whitmer to the Governor's Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect in 2019), consists of approximately 20 staff including a clinical director, forensic interviewers, licensed therapists, family advocates, a development director, a business manager, and a canine advocate (Juno, certified February 2025).
The organization's core service lines are forensic interviewing using evidence-based protocols (Michigan Forensic Interview Protocol, NICHD International Evidence-Based Investigative Interview Protocol, NCAC Forensic Interview Structure, and RADAR Child Forensic Interview Model); no-cost trauma-focused therapy for children ages 3-18 using TF-CBT, CFTSI, CPT, and art/play interventions; Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) screening and therapy for children ages 3-11 using TF-CBT for PSB and Phase Based Treatment (PBT); family advocacy connecting clients with housing, medical, food, shelter, court, interpreter, and utility resources; adult prevention education through Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children curriculum (over 400 community members trained); and a graduate-level clinical internship program. All client services are delivered at no cost, with no insurance billing.
The business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than fee-based. Revenue comes from individual donors and a monthly giving club, stock donations, state/local/federal government grants, and fundraising events anchored by the Annual Auction for Advocacy (13th annual scheduled September 2026 at Eagle Eye Banquet Center). Distribution is referral-driven: cases originate from law enforcement, CPS, prosecutors, foster care, and family court, and are processed through a multi-disciplinary team model that coordinates with 19+ local law enforcement agencies, Ingham and Eaton County prosecutors, Sparrow Hospital's SANE program, and Eve (a domestic violence advocacy organization). The organization carries a $275,000 annual funding gap that is not covered by government sources and must be closed through private philanthropic support and fundraising events.
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER
- Legal name
- Small Talk Children's Advocacy Center
- Website
- https://smalltalkcac.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Small Talk Children's Advocacy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing coordinated forensic interviews, trauma-focused therapy, and prevention education at no cost to children and families impacted by abuse in Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Child Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Child Rights & Protection (BPADAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Service Coordination / Case Management (IDEA Part C) (EDACAFAK), Mental Health & Infant/Early Childhood Consultation (0–5) (EDACAFAO)
Keywords
Where SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lansing
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors, foundations, businesses and organizations provide charitable contributions. The organization operates a monthly giving club and accepts stock donations.
- Government Grants and Funding: State, local, and federal funders provide partial coverage. $275,000 of work is not covered by government funding, requiring private support.
- Annual Auction for Advocacy Fundraiser: 13th Annual Auction for Advocacy event scheduled for September 11, 2026 at Eagle Eye Banquet Center, their biggest fundraiser of the year.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Free therapy services for children ages 3-18 who have participated in a forensic interview |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Small Talk Children's Advocacy Center provides coordinated child abuse investigations through forensic interviewing using evidence-based protocols (Michigan, NICHD, NCAC, RADAR models), no-cost trauma-focused therapy for children ages 3-18, problematic sexual behavior screening and treatment for children ages 3-11, family advocacy connecting families to community resources, and adult prevention education including Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children training. All client services are provided free of charge in a child-friendly facility that coordinates multi-disciplinary team responses with law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors, and medical professionals.
Product overview
Small Talk Children's Advocacy Center is a non-profit organization providing a coordinated suite of services for children and families impacted by child abuse in Mid-Michigan (Ingham and Eaton counties). The core offerings include: Forensic Interview Services (coordinated investigations using evidence-based interview protocols), Trauma-Focused Child Therapy Services (evidence-based treatment for children ages 3-18), Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) Services (screening and therapy for children ages 3-11), Family Advocacy (resource connection and support), Prevention Education (Stewards of Children training and ACES education), and an Internship Program (clinical training for graduate students). All therapy and PSB services are provided at no cost to families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Forensic Interview Services Coordinated forensic interviewing services conducted by trained professionals using developmentally-sensitive, unbiased, and legally defensible interview protocols to support accurate decision-making in criminal justice and child welfare systems. Staff are trained in multiple evidence-based forensic interview models including Michigan Forensic Interview Protocol, NICHD International Evidence-Based Investigative Interview Protocol, NCAC Forensic Interview Structure, and RADAR Child Forensic Interview Model.
- Trauma-Focused Child Therapy Services No-cost therapy services for children ages 3-18 who have participated in a forensic interview, utilizing evidence-based treatments including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Art and Play Interventions.
- Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) Services Screening and therapy services for children ages 3-11 exhibiting concerning sexualized behaviors, using TF-CBT for PSB and Phased Based Treatment (PBT) modalities. Includes the PSB Screener tool for identifying appropriate interventions including caregiver education, referrals, or PSB therapy services.
- Family Advocacy Family advocate services helping children and families access resources including counseling, medical attention, support groups, food, shelter, court assistance, interpreters, and utility assistance programs.
- Prevention Education Adult prevention education including Darkness to Light's 'Stewards of Children' training (over 400 community members trained), ACES education, and community pinwheel garden events in April. Prevention education training is free for community groups.
- Internship Program Clinical internship opportunities for students pursuing degrees in Counseling, Clinical Social Work (MSW), Social Work, Psychology, and Criminal Justice. Includes Clinical Social Work Internship (MSW) requiring 16 hours/week for two semesters.
Quantifiable outcome
- Trained over 400 community members in Stewards of Children prevention education
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Sparrow Hospital (Sparrow SANE Program)coreMedical partnership for sexual assault nurse examiner services and child abuse medical examinations. Part of the multi-disciplinary team approach at the CAC.
- Children's Protective Services (CPS)coreGovernment child welfare agency that refers cases and coordinates investigation with Small Talk CAC.
- Eve (End Violent Encounters)coreDomestic violence advocacy organization providing resources and support for survivors referred through the CAC.
- Eaton County Sheriff's OfficecoreLaw enforcement agency referring cases and participating in multi-disciplinary team investigations.
- Ingham County Sheriff's OfficecoreLaw enforcement agency referring cases and participating in multi-disciplinary team investigations.
- Eaton County Prosecutor's OfficecoreProsecutorial partner for child abuse cases, part of MDT coordination.
- Ingham County Prosecutor's OfficecoreProsecutorial partner for child abuse cases, part of MDT coordination.
- Eaton Rapids Police DepartmentminorLocal law enforcement partner in Eaton County for child abuse investigations.
- East Lansing Police DepartmentminorLocal law enforcement partner for MDT investigations.
- Michigan State Police - Lansing PostcoreState law enforcement partner for child abuse investigations.
- Michigan State University Police DepartmentminorUniversity police department partner for investigations.
- Lansing Police DepartmentcorePrimary municipal law enforcement partner for Lansing-area child abuse investigations.
- MSU Federal Credit UnionminorFinancial institution supporter listed on Get Involved page as event sponsor and donor.
- Grewal Law PLLCminorLaw firm supporter listed as event sponsor on Get Involved page.
- Delta DentalminorCorporate supporter and event sponsor.
- Horizon BankminorFinancial institution supporter and event sponsor.
- Plante MoranminorAccounting firm supporter and event sponsor.
- Darkness to LightcoreNational organization providing Stewards of Children prevention education curriculum used by Small Talk to train community members.
- National Children's AlliancecoreAccrediting body for Children's Advocacy Centers; Small Talk is fully accredited with this organization.
- Children's Advocacy Centers of Michigan (CACMI)coreState-level organization providing resources, statistics, and coordination for CACs in Michigan.
- The Pals AcademyminorTraining partner that collaborated with Small Talk handlers to prepare Juno for canine advocacy certification.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Childhelp: National non-profit operating Children's Advocacy Centers, hotlines, and residential programs for abused children. Broad peer providing overlapping child abuse intervention services.
- Prevent Child Abuse America: National non-profit focused on child abuse prevention, similar to Small Talk's prevention education mission. Broad peer addressing upstream prevention rather than post-investigation services.
- Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center: National center providing child abuse forensic interviewing and medical evaluation training. Peer/adjacent in workforce training and protocol development for CACs.
- Children's Advocacy Centers of Michigan (CACMI): State-level membership and resource organization for Michigan Children's Advocacy Centers. Small Talk's Executive Director serves on its board, reflecting peer/state-association relationship.
- National Children's Alliance: National accrediting body for Children's Advocacy Centers. Small Talk is fully accredited with NCA, making it both a peer and the standards-setting counterpart.
Direct peers
- Dallas Children's Advocacy Center: Large NCA-accredited Children's Advocacy Center providing coordinated forensic interviews, therapy, and MDT services. Direct peer operating an advanced CAC model at greater scale.
- Darkness to Light: National organization that provides the Stewards of Children prevention education curriculum Small Talk uses to train community members. Direct peer in prevention education delivery.
- CARE House of Oakland County: Another NCA-accredited Children's Advocacy Center in Michigan providing forensic interviewing, therapy, and MDT coordination for child abuse cases. Direct peer operating the same CAC service model in a different Michigan county.
- Children's Assessment Center (Houston): NCA-accredited CAC serving the Houston region with forensic interviewing, therapy, and family advocacy. Direct peer offering the full CAC service model.
- Children's Advocacy Center of Kent County (Barton Center): NCA-accredited CAC serving Kent County, Michigan with coordinated child abuse investigations, therapy, and prevention education. Direct peer with comparable forensic interviewing and MDT model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER social profiles
Digital presenceSMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles24 records
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER
What does SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER do?
Small Talk Children's Advocacy Center provides coordinated child abuse investigations through forensic interviewing using evidence-based protocols (Michigan, NICHD, NCAC, RADAR models), no-cost trauma-focused therapy for children ages 3-18, problematic sexual behavior screening and treatment for children ages 3-11, family advocacy connecting families to community resources, and adult prevention education including Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children training. All client services are provided free of charge in a child-friendly facility that coordinates multi-disciplinary team responses with law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors, and medical professionals.
Is SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER a public or private company?
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER founded?
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER based?
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER is headquartered in Lansing, United States, in the North America region.
How does SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are government Grants and Funding and annual Auction for Advocacy Fundraiser.
Who are SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Childhelp, Prevent Child Abuse America, Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center, Children's Advocacy Centers of Michigan (CACMI) and National Children's Alliance. Direct peers are Dallas Children's Advocacy Center, Darkness to Light, CARE House of Oakland County, Children's Assessment Center (Houston) and Children's Advocacy Center of Kent County (Barton Center).
Does SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER have an API?
No public API is recorded for SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER.
What industry is SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER in?
SMALL TALK CHILDRENS ASSESSMENT CENTER's product category is Child Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAGAG, Child Rights & Protection, with a secondary code of EDACAFAK, Service Coordination / Case Management (IDEA Part C). Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.