Located in DeFuniak Springs, this is the second location of Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center along with their original Niceville Center in Okaloosa County. The 15,000-square-foot facility is slated to open April 8, 2016. The Pierce Family generously donated $1 million to help build the new facility.

The Advocacy Center serves abused children and their families in a neutral environment. The new Center will staff 45 offices in four wings to include a Welcome Wing, Intervention Wing, Justice Wing and Healing Wing. A multidisciplinary team of child protection personnel, prosecutors, law enforcement, Department of Children and Families staff, therapists, and Advocacy Center staff and volunteers will work there.

The Advocacy Center’s mission is to prevent child abuse and neglect, protect children in Okaloosa and Walton Counties, and restore the lives and futures of these impacted children. In their 15-year history over 10,000 children have received mental health services and over 20,000 direct services have been provided to the children and their families. Services are provided at no-cost by the non-profit organization.