CACs Respond to Interlochen Report
Reports detailing a history of child abuse at Michigan’s renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts have drawn interest around the state and across the country.
To help provide perspective on this unfolding situation, CARE House of Oakland County joins our Child Advocacy Centers across Michigan in sharing this message.
Everyone who cares about protecting children is troubled to learn of the history of abuse at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Northern Michigan. As more information becomes public, Michigan’s 40 Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) see this as an important time for communities to recognize an important reality:
Child abuse occurs in every type of community, and protecting children requires awareness, prevention and action.
Many times over many years, we know children were abused at Interlochen, and it underscores an important fact: child abuse can occur anywhere. Our CACs throughout the State of Michigan see children and families from every community, every neighborhood, and every socioeconomic background. In 2025 alone, more than 18,000 forensic interviews were conducted by Michigan’s CACs.
We are learning as the reports come out, mandated reporters did not consistently uphold their responsibilities to report suspected abuse.
Michigan law requires professionals who work with children, including educators, coaches, medical professionals, and clergy, to report suspected abuse to Child Protective Services.
Cases like this are reminders that mandated reporters play a critical role in protecting children and connecting them to help as quickly as possible.
This case is also a reminder of the vital role communities play in supporting children and families affected by abuse.
Child Advocacy Centers provide services that no single agency can offer alone, bringing together law enforcement, child protection, medical professionals, prosecutors, and mental health providers to coordinate a child-focused response. Every day, CACs across Michigan help children tell their stories once, access services, and begin the healing process.
In its statement about the results of its investigation, Interlochen declared “protecting students is central to everything we do,” including “mandatory training for all employees” and “multiple reporting channels,” promising a culture that “prioritizes accountability, transparency, integrity and continuing improvement.”
Those commitments align with the values and priorities of our Child Advocacy Centers across Michigan and offer important standards for all organizations that serve children.
Thank you for all you do to continue building our community of protectors.
