McKinney Advocacy Center Sees Rising Demand as Collin County Grows North

Dan Powers had a figure ready when asked to describe what Collin County's rapid northward expansion has meant for the caseload at his organization: 80%.

"Over the past five years, there has been an over 80% increase in cases in the northern part of our county," said Powers, CEO of the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County. That growth is landing at the organization's Speese Campus in McKinney, which opened in 2022 near the intersection of U.S. 380 and U.S. 75 and has since become the county's front line for child abuse response.

The shift is visible in the forensic interview data. In 2023, the majority of the CAC's forensic interviews still took place at the Plano campus, the organization's original home. By 2024, and continuing through 2025, more clients were coming through the McKinney doors. "As the county grows north, we're seeing that shift," Powers said.

After a child is referred to the CAC, typically through law enforcement, schools, or the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the organization provides forensic interviews, family advocacy, and therapy, all at no cost to victims and their nonoffending family members. The McKinney building also houses a Rainbow Room, where children who may need to leave home quickly can pick up new clothing, hygiene products, and shoes.

Family advocates carry some of the heaviest work. "[Abusers] often control the money or the housing or the transportation, so our family advocates are going to work with those nonoffending family members to identify elements in the community or support systems that we can provide," Powers said.

The commitment does not end after a single visit. "What's really special about our program is, once a child comes to us, they are a client for the rest of their life," Powers said, explaining that children process trauma differently across developmental stages. In 2025, the organization provided family advocacy services to 2,892 clients across its two Collin County campuses.

More than 6,000 children are reported as abused or neglected in Collin County each year. Powers cautioned against assumptions that prosperity shields any zip code from the problem. "Child abuse knows no boundaries with income," he said.

Anyone who suspects a child is being abused should call the Texas Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400. If the child is in immediate danger, call 911. Reports can also be submitted online through the CAC's website.