NRCAC Team Talk

EPISODE SUMMARY: Understanding the history and challenges faced by Tribal Nations is essential for building trust and fostering meaningful partnerships within the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) movement. In this episode, Deanna Chancellor shares insights from her experience, discussing the historical trauma Indigenous communities have faced, how it impacts engagement with service providers, and key considerations for CACs and multidisciplinary teams seeking to build trust and meaningful partnerships. Tune in to gain valuable perspectives and actionable steps for strengthening relationships with Tribal Nations. GUEST: Deanna Chancellor is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and serves as the Project Director for the Native Child Advocacy Resource Center. Prior to this she served as a Children's Advocacy Center Director for eighteen years in rural Southeastern Oklahoma. Deanna has extensive experience in the establishment and management of CAC and the coordination of the MDT. She provides training and technical assistance to Native Nations and Non-Tribal partners on issues related to the field of child maltreatment. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Connect with Deanna Chancellor, deanna.chancellor@mso.umt.edu Native Child Advocacy Resource Center: https://www.nativecac.org National Native Children's Trauma Center: https://www.facebook.com/NNCTC Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Looking for training and technical assistance for your Chapter, Children's Advocacy Center, or multidisciplinary team? Northeast Regional CAC provides training and assistance services to help you implement an effective, sustainable, collaborative response to child abuse. Visit NRCAC.org/request to learn more and request assistance today! Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Click here to share your suggestions. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: School Resource Officers (SROs) play a vital role in Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs). In this episode, we explore the importance of collaboration between SROs and CACs in the multidisciplinary response to child abuse cases, along with strategies for overcoming common challenges. Whether you're looking to strengthen an existing partnership or establish a new one, tune in for valuable insights and practical advice. Topics in this episode: Understanding the roles (4:13) Overlapping of roles (7:55) Building and maintaining the CAC and SRO partnership (11:41) Role of the school district Barriers and challenges Shared understanding Value of SROs as MDT partners (24:11) SRO training (28:03) Advice for CAC/MDT interested in forming a relationship with SROs (32:53)   GUESTS: Amy- Lynn Sullivan, Program Coordinator/Forensic Interviewer at Child Advocacy Center of Hillsborough County-North Detective Kyler Stevenson, Manchester New Hampshire Police Department Jennifer Shumway, CSEC Coordinator at Cumberland County Children's Advocacy Center  Officer Timothy Dalton, Scarborough Police Department Lauren Dembski-Martin, Social Services Manager at Scarborough Police Department   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Cumberland County Children's Advocacy Center: https://cumberlandcountycac.org KNOW & TELL: https://knowandtell.org Child Abuse: The KNOW & Tell Program (NCJTC): https://ncjtc.fvtc.edu/trainings/TR00008379/TRI2406800/child-abuse-the-know-tell-program Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Click here to share your suggestions. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: Effective communication and building trust are essential skills for child abuse professionals working towards a shared mission to protect children and support families. In this episode, Ken Homer discusses the concept of Collaborative Conversations, a four-step model designed to enhance communication, build trust, and foster meaningful teamwork. Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) staff and multidisciplinary team (MDT) partners can apply this practical approach to collaborate more effectively. Tune in for helpful tips to strengthen teamwork and achieve better outcomes for children and families. Topics in this episode: Collective Intelligence (4:26) Collaborative Conversations Wheel (7:25) Shared Meaning (9:00) Exploring Possibilities (19:38) Coordinating Actions (26:08) Learning and Reflecting (36:47) Communication Tips (44:02) Navigating Conflict (46:18) GUEST: Ken Homer, PCC Trained as an Integral Coach with a background that includes a decade on the core team that developed the World Café dialogue process, Ken works at the intersection of individual, team, and organizational learning to open up new vistas of thinking while finding practical steps for effective action. Grounded, insightful, practical, and comprehensive, are a few of the adjectives that Ken's clients have used to describe him. He listens deeply to gain an understanding and checks to see if he is making accurate assessments before attempting to provide any guidance. Ken looks for simple modest steps that can be sustained over time to provide optimal returns. Ken believes that collaboration is an art form based on learnable skills. “How can we be smarter together and work in ways where we are all enriched or even ennobled by our efforts?” is the question at the heart of Ken's work. He works with both individuals and teams to identify where they are not getting the results they desire and then helps them to develop the competencies required to achieve their aims. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change by David L. Cooperride. And Diana Whitney, 2005: https://a.co/d/38PzqTi Collaborative Conversations: https://www.kenhomer.net Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Click here to share your suggestions. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.  

“The development of AI is as fundamental as the creation of the microprocessor, the personal computer, the Internet, and the mobile phone. It will change the way people work, learn, travel, get health care, and communicate with each other. Entire industries will reorient around it. Businesses will distinguish themselves by how well they use it.” – Bill Gates When you hear the words ‘Artificial Intelligence,' what comes to mind? Fascinating? Scary? Necessary? Or maybe a mix of all three? In this episode, Abbie Newman and Leslie Slingsby from Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center discuss how CACs can use AI like ChatGPT to enhance their operations. Whether you are an active user or just looking to get started, join us as we explore the benefits, cautions, and practical tips for using AI at your CAC. Topics in this episode: Importance of AI (6:02) What is Artificial Intelligence? (8:02) Value and usage of AI at CACs (10:30) Prompt Engineering (17:01) Cautions (20:55) Good and evil uses of AI (30:52) Where are we going (32:52) Scenario of using AI (34:40) AI Policy (36:40) Final thoughts (40:03) GUESTS Abbie R. Newman, R.N., J.D., is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of External and Global Affairs at Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center. Abbie began her professional career as a registered nurse specializing in pediatrics before returning to law school and obtaining her degree from Fordham University School of Law. She practiced law in Philadelphia and became a shareholder at Post & Schell, P.C., specializing in medical malpractice defense of medical professionals for almost 20 years. Abbie began her work with Mission Kids as the founding Executive Director in 2008. As Executive Director, she built the collaborative Multidisciplinary Team into a nationally Accredited CAC which has served nearly 7,000 abused children and their families. As CEO of External and Global Affairs, she brings the leadership of Mission Kids statewide, nationally, and internationally to help victims of child abuse. Some of her work includes spearheading original research projects to inform best practices, and developing collaborative response policies to victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Abbie is the past-President of PennCAC (the Pennsylvania Chapter of CACs), and the current and founding Chair of the External Affairs Committee of PennCAC. Abbie has received bi-partisan gubernatorial appointments to several statewide committees, including the CAC Advisory Committee, charged with establishing and sustaining CACs across Pennsylvania. Ms. Newman works with state and national legislators to strengthen child protection laws, increase funding to agencies serving victims of child abuse and neglect, and to develop and sustain child advocacy centers as a model for child abuse investigation and prevention. She has been elected to the Distinguished Advisory Committee of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, where she works on developing collaborative responses to global issues of child abuse.   Leslie Slingsby, MSW, LSW is the Chief Executive Officer of Services and Operations at Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center.  Leslie has a Masters of Social Work with a concentration in non-profit management and social policy from the University of Michigan. Previously, she was the first Continuous Quality Improvement Manager for Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services Agency. Prior to her experience in public child welfare, she was the founding Director of the Bucks County Children's Advocacy Center. In addition, Leslie has over a decade of experience in victim services overseeing mental health services, legal and medical advocacy, hotline and cyber services. She has been responsible for implementing and monitoring several state and federal grant projects and assisted with the coordination of several local program initiatives involving partnership including Child Death Review Team, Sexual Assault Response Team, the Crimes against Older Adults Task Force and the Domestic Abuse Fatality Review Team.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES UNICEF Policy Guidance on AI for Children: https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/policy-guidance-ai-children#:~:text=The%20policy%20guidance%20explores%20AI,inclusion%20of%20and%20for%20children What is Prompt Engineering?: https://www.datacamp.com/blog/what-is-prompt-engineering-the-future-of-ai-communication ChatGPT Replicates Gender Bias in Recommendation Letters: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chatgpt-replicates-gender-bias-in-recommendation-letters/ Looka – free logo maker: https://looka.com/onboarding?company_name=Mission%20Kids Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center: https://missionkidscac.org Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Click here to share your suggestions. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: Sass Boucher and Kate Collier, co-founders of SelfCare Psychology Ltd, bring psychology, awareness, resources, and expertise to frontline workers in supportive roles. In this episode, they discuss the concept of Professional Trauma and Fatigue and how CAC staff and MDT partners can use the Five Pillars of Protection to mitigate the effects of working in the child advocacy field. Join us as we explore these important topics, offering insights and practical advice to help you navigate stress and protect your mental health.  Topics in this episode:  SelfCare Psychology (3:17) Professional Trauma and Fatigue (5:01) Stress Compassion Fatigue Burnout Vicarious Trauma Everyday Stress (12:04) Resilience (17:50) Five Pillars of Protection (23:07) Awareness Supervision Peer Support Trauma Informed Self Care GUESTS: Sass Boucher MSc MBACP, counsellor psychotherapist, lecturer and co-founder of SelfCare Psychology, SelfCare Psychology Sass is a practicing Counsellor and Psychotherapist, working with a wide range of private clients and referrals from health, social care and education settings. Her MSc research ‘Looking Through a Lens of Terribleness' explored and aimed to understand professionals' needs when working with, and listening to, those affected by trauma, this work led to the formation of SelfCare PsycholoWe'll gy Ltd. Sass is also a lecturer and practice tutor on the MSc Counselling Psychotherapy course at Keele University. She previously trained as a social work practice educator and worked in specialist domestic abuse services in a variety of roles, frontline support and service management and as a local authority domestic abuse partnership co-ordinator. Kate Collier, head of learning and development, Black Country Women's Aid and co-founder of SelfCare Psychology Kate Collier is practice and development director and co-founder of SelfCare Psychology. She develops new training and tools and has taken SelfCare Psychology's training online with the development of interactive live workshops and e-learning. She has a special interest in early intervention in wellbeing through education for social care and health professionals born out of her personal struggle with professional trauma and fatigue. Her experience spans training as a social worker and independent domestic violence adviser and designing, delivering and managing services for women facing multiple disadvantages. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Professional Quality of Life (proQOL): https://proqol.org SelfCare Psychology Ltd: https://www.selfcarepsychology.com Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Click here to share your suggestions. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: Research consistently supports the value of taking a trauma-informed approach to reduce re-traumatization, improve outcomes, and foster trust and collaboration between professionals, children, and families. In this episode, Kristina Coleman, LMSW, MPA, joins co-hosts Tony DeVincenzo and Ilana Lezama-Beausejour to discuss the intergenerational trauma approach and working with families of color. Throughout their conversation, Kristina shares insights into some of the life experiences of past generations and their impact on the present day. The discussion explores ways professionals can shift their mindset and practices to better serve and support families of color. Topics in this episode: Definitions (4:04) Intergenerational trauma approach (9:02) Working with families of color (11:33) Life experiences and Intergenerational Trauma (17:00) Understanding history (20:30) Enhance professional skills (28:37) Recommendations (37:48) Organization support for workers of color (39:35) GUEST: Kristina Coleman LMSW, MPA, is the Vice President of Child Advocacy and Mental Health Programs at Safe Horizon the nation's largest victim service agency, and the Founder/CEO of youRmore counseling & services. She has served in the social services for over 14 years specializing in child welfare, family reunification, trauma treatment, mental health, program implementation, development, and non-profit leadership. Kristina holds a master's degree in social work leadership from Hunter College and a Master of Public Administration from Mercy University. She has held multiple roles at both the direct service and leadership level. Kristina provides training and consulting around engagement and mental health practices for families of color and the impact intergenerational trauma. Through her teachings she aims to reform systems and create true diversity, equity, and inclusion. She believes if people want to see real change, they must first understand history. Kristina serves as a board member for the National Association of Social Workers NYC Chapter, The New York State Children Alliances, Center for Safety and Change, and the YMCA OF Rockland.  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Spare the Kids: Why Whupping Children Won't Save Black America by Stacey Patton: https://a.co/d/ajfCyNa Black Families in Therapy: Understanding the African American Experience by Nancy Boyd-Franklin: https://a.co/d/6oDQVZD My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem: https://a.co/d/aoKr01r Virtues and Values: The African and African American Experience by Peter J. Paris: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0800636619?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_JMZG1C5GGNV3M6Y1Y4G9  Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting by Terrie M. Williams: https://a.co/d/21aQAaj Connect with Kristina Coleman at Kristina.Coleman@safehorizon.org Safe Horizon: https://www.safehorizon.org Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC. 

EPISODE SUMMARY: With the increasing awareness and understanding of the complex problem of human trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), CACs and MDT partners have expanded their capacity to the needs of sexually exploited children and youth, including those at risk for exploitation. In this episode, Melissa Kaiser, a licensed social worker specializing in anti-human trafficking work, joins host Tony DeVincenzo to discuss the MDT response to human trafficking cases. Throughout their conversation, Melissa discusses the value of the CAC model and MDT response, the importance of having a trauma-informed mindset, explores ways CACs and teams can enhance their response, and provides insights for building resiliency. Topics in this episode: Human trafficking (3:35) CSEC (8:09) CAC/MDT response (9:57) The impact of the work (26:20) Advice and tips to enhance response (35:25) Building resiliency (38:32) Moral injury, moral distress, moral suffering (44:30) For more information (49:10) GUEST: Melissa Kaiser, LBSW is a licensed social worker specializing in anti-human trafficking work, secondary trauma, working with victims of trauma, and developing/maintaining multi-disciplinary teams. Melissa is a certified trainer in Green Dot, Compassion Fatigue, GEMS, Stand to Protect, My Life My Choice, and SHARP, and has additional training in Child Welfare and PRIDE/Safe Zone. She has seven years of experience providing national/international training and technical assistance, and case management to victims of human trafficking. Melissa has trained over 11,000 students and professionals, and currently sits on the Badges of Unity Board for Fargo PD. Melissa's past experience includes treatment foster care, prevention education, and psychiatric and addictions. She was the first Human Trafficking Navigator and Victim-Witness Specialist in ND, with seven years of program development. Melissa was a member of the North Dakota Human Trafficking Task Force, vice-chair of labor trafficking subcommittee, for six years. She developed a human trafficking program, toolkit, and protocol response for ND, per grant deliverables. Melissa also assisted in the development of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Victim/Witness Program. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Building Resiliency Together: https://buildingresiliency.org Building Resiliency Together | Strategies for Resiliency: https://buildingresiliency.org/strategies-for-resiliency/ Melissa Kaiser, LBSW | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaisermel/ MelKai Consulting, LLC: https://melkai-consulting-llc.business.site Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.  

EPISODE SUMMARY: “Better to be ready than get ready.” We delve deeper into the important topic of succession planning. In this episode, Tony speaks with Christopher St. Cyr who serves as the Executive Director at the Caledonia Children's Advocacy Center. Chris discusses the importance of being intentional when it comes to succession planning. He guides us through a real-life experience of preparing for change and transition, including an unexpected twist the CAC faced along the way, and the value of being flexible. GUEST: Christopher St. Cyr is the Executive Director with the Caledonia Children's Advocacy Center located in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Chris is a retired police officer and worked in Whitefield and Lancaster, New Hampshire, and Essex County, Vermont. He recently retired as a Command Sergeant Major in the New Hampshire National Guard with over 40 years of service. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration and completed Executive Development Course at Justice System Training and Research Institute at RWU. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Learn more about the Caledonia Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.caledoniasiu-cac.com NRCAC Team Talk Episode #40 – Succession Planning with Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center Director Emily Chittenden-Laird: https://nrcac.libsyn.com/episode-40-succession-planning Emergency Preparedness and Response Guide for CACs: Planning for the Unexpected: https://www.srcac.org/resources/ Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.  

EPISODE SUMMARY: When you hear succession planning, what comes to mind? Many people will think of a written document that outlines procedures for when there is a transition in leadership. Having a plan for change and transition is critical to the CAC's stability and continuity of services for children and families. In this episode, Tony speaks with Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center Director Emily Chittenden-Laird who has a broader perspective on succession planning. She shares with us the importance of organizational planning and real-life experiences. GUEST: Emily Chittenden-Laird is the Director of Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center (SRCAC). Emily is an experienced strategist and leader. Driven by a deep belief in the people and mission of the CAC movement, she takes pride in establishing vision and programming that ensures the success of Chapters and CACs. After more than a decade of service at the CAC and State Chapter level, followed by a few years as a consultant and Chief Operating Officer at 84 Agency, she returned to the CAC field as the Chapter Specialist at SRCAC, then became Director in 2022. Fueled by a desire to develop leaders and cast an inspiring vision for growth, Emily leads the SRCAC team by providing oversight and direction to ensure transformational change within the CAC movement. Emily's leadership extends to her own community where she can be found singing in the choir, attending community meetings, and exploring the outdoors with her husband and two sons. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.srcac.org SRCAC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernRegionalChildrensAdvocacyCenter/ SRCAC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southern-regional-children-s-advocacy-center/ Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: As professionals in the child abuse field, we all know that child sexual abuse has no boundaries. In the United States, CACs and MDTs are doing amazing and innovative work to provide a collaborative response to promote healing for children and families. But have you ever thought about the issue of child sexual abuse globally and how it affects middle and low-income countries? In this episode, Abbie Newman, RN, JD with Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center joins Tony to talk about the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN). She shares a project that ISPCAN is leading to develop a trauma-informed collaborative response to child abuse and how this work has influenced Mission Kids and the children and families they serve. Topics in this episode International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) (3:52) Global Issue of Child Abuse (5:15) Overview of Collaborative Response Project led by ISPCAN (9:04) Challenges Developing a Response in Middle to Low-Income Countries (12:10) Project Goals (16:11) Objectives (18:05) Implementation (25:17) Timeline (26:47) ISPCAN Influence and Impact on Mission Kids (27:30) Get Involved (28:41) GUEST Abbie Newman, RN, JD, the CEO of Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center (MKCAC), began her career as a registered pediatric nurse before practicing law for 19 years. She became the founding executive director of MKCAC in 2008 and built the collaborative multidisciplinary team into a nationally accredited CAC. Since then, MKCAC has provided over 6,000 forensic interviews, and made over 1000 mental and 1000 medical referrals. Further, MKCAC has provided targeted prevention education to more than 47,000 children, adolescents, teachers, and multidisciplinary partners and become a leader in developing responses to CSEC and working with stakeholders statewide in the best interests of these victims. In 2018, Abbie became CEO of MKCAC, driving innovative thought leadership statewide, nationally, and internationally to help victims of child abuse, including victims of commercial sexual exploitation. She is past-President and a current member of the Pennsylvania Chapter of CACs' Board of Directors. Initially appointed by Governor Corbett in 2014 to Pennsylvania's Victim Services Advisory Committee, charged with awarding state funds to established and developing CACs, Abbie was reappointed by Governor Wolf in 2018. She became an elected member of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect (ISPCAN)'s Distinguished Advisory Committee in 2021 and, in this capacity, is leading a project to develop an international framework for collaborative responses to child sexual abuse (CSA) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to be adaptable to other forms of child abuse and neglect. Abbie has also spearheaded research in partnership with global experts in the field of child abuse, drawing from the work of Mission Kids' multidisciplinary team. Results of these projects have been published as peer-reviewed articles in Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal, reaching thousands of professionals around the globe. Abbie remains passionate about working with state and national level legislators to strengthen child protection laws, increase funding to agencies serving victims of child abuse and neglect, and develop and sustain CACs as a model for child abuse investigation and prevention. She presents nationally and internationally on CSA and collaborative responses to child maltreatment and has forged international partnerships to respond to child abuse, globally. Abbie's signature tagline, for years, has been English philosopher Edmund Burke's, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing.” Her ultimate vision is to see collaborative efforts help all children triumph over trauma, regardless of locale or circumstance, so they can live up to their full potential. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect: https://www.ispcan.org ISPCAN Case Statement and Collaborative Framework Project Concept Note: https://assets.libsyn.com/show/159677/ISPCAN-Collaborative-Framework-Project-Concept-Note.pdf Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center: https://missionkidscac.org Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/vacs/index.html Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: “The ultimate solution to burnout is not self-care. It's caring for others and others caring for you.” There's no denying that self-care is important. Eating healthy, exercising, and taking vacation days can reduce stress on the body. But it's human connection and the relationships you have with others that make the difference. In this month's episode, Tony speaks with Dr. Heather Forkey and Dr. Jessica Griffin with UMass Chan Medical School about a different approach to address secondary traumatic stress and burnout. During their conversation, they share with us the affiliate response. They discuss the evolutionary foundation and strategies for organizations and individuals to reduce secondary traumatic stress and burnout. Topics in this episode Burnout and secondary traumatic stress definitions (4:03) Secondary traumatic stress symptoms (11:30) Evolutionary response to stress (12:51) Impact of culture and society (19:14) Strategies to reduce stress and burnout (27:22) Recommendations for organizations and teams to recognize and take action (30:52) Technology (36:00) Caring for others, others caring for you (39:12) Resources (42:50)   GUESTS: Heather C. Forkey, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics and at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, and Director of the Foster Children Evaluation Service (FaCES) of the UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center.  She also serves as the Medical Director of Lifeline4Kids at University of Massachusetts Medical School.  She received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She completed her pediatric residency and chief residency at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.  In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Forkey has been the recipient of local and federal grants to address issues of children in foster care and to translate promising practices to address physical and mental health needs of children who have been traumatized.  She has published and presents nationally and internationally on the topics, and serves in leadership roles for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the American Academy of Pediatrics on issues related to foster care, mental health and child trauma. She recently coauthored the book Childhood Trauma and Resilience: A Practical Guide, available from AAP Press. Jessica Griffin, PsyD Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Pediatrics; Executive Director, Lifeline For Kids; Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics; Executive Director, Lifeline For Kids; Executive Director, Resilience Through Relationships Center; Executive Director, Child Trauma Training Center Dr. Griffin is a clinical and forensic psychologist with specialties in childhood trauma, resilience, and relationships. Dr. Griffin is a nationally recognized expert in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), trauma, resilience, and relationships. She developed the UMass Child Trauma Training Center (now known as Lifeline For Kids) which has trained over 100,000 professionals in trauma, trauma-informed care, and trauma sensitive practices. She is a highly sought-after public speaker and go-to expert for national media and is a regular contributor on news outlets. She is a co-author of a book by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Childhood Trauma and Resilience, A Practical Guide, a go-to resource on childhood trauma for pediatrics. Recently, Dr. Griffin also authored a book for couples, Relationship Rx: Prescriptions for Lasting Love and Deeper Connection.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Childhood Trauma and Resilience: A Practical Guide by Heather C. Forkey MD FAAP, Jessica L. Griffin PsyD and Moira Szilagyi MD PhD FAAP: https://www.amazon.com/Childhood-Trauma-Resilience-Practical-Guide/dp/1610025067 Relationship Rx: Prescriptions for Lasting Love and Deeper Connection by Jessica Griffin and Pepper Schwartz: https://www.amazon.com/Relationship-Rx-Prescriptions-Lasting-Connection/dp/1538165732 Lifeline for Kids: https://www.umassmed.edu/cttc/ Caring for Caregivers Experiencing Secondary Trauma: A Call to Action: https://assets.libsyn.com/show/159677/STS_Clinical_Peds_2022.pdf Oxytocin has ‘tend-and-defend' functionality in group conflict across social vertebrates: https://assets.libsyn.com/show/159677/tend_and_defend.pdf Physician Distress and Burnout: The Neurobiological Perspective: https://assets.libsyn.com/show/159677/neurobiol_burnout_shanafelt.pdf Physician Well-being 2.0: Where Are WE and Where Are We Going?: https://assets.libsyn.com/show/159677/wellbeing_2.0_shanafelt.pdf Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.  

EPISODE SUMMARY:  Child Advocacy Centers and Multidisciplinary teams are not immune from the race, power, and privilege that shapes the way we each experience the world. At Safe Horizon, the organization that operates the five CACs throughout New York City, the Racial Healing Response Team (RHRT) program has been implemented to address the racial harm that staff members may experience in the workplace. With the goal of offering staff support and healing, the RHRT responds in a variety of ways that center on respect, relationships, and community care. In this episode, Tony speaks with Dr. Lisa O'Connor and Dorcas Miller with Safe Horizon. They walk us through the planning and implementation of its Racial Healing Response Team – an intentional response to situations between staff that have caused racial harm and the facilitation of healing.   GUESTS: Dr. Lisa A. O'Connor was promoted to the roles of Deputy CEO and Chief Program Officer as of March 2021. Lisa joined Safe Horizon in 2013 as the Deputy Chief Program Officer and was later promoted to Chief Program Officer. She is a psychologist by training and has spent most of her career in service to children and families impacted by violence. During her time at Safe Horizon, Lisa has led efforts to address the needs of young men of color who have been harmed by violence; implemented client-centered, trauma-informed practices that recognize the impact of racism in the lives of survivors; and led the successful fulfillment of a five-year strategic plan. Lisa is also the Co-Chair of the Racial Healing Response Team and a member of the Anti-Racism Steering Committee at Safe Horizon. Prior to Safe Horizon, Lisa spent almost a decade in child welfare developing and implementing new program models and policies, first as an Assistant Commission at the Administration for Children's Services and later as Vice President for Children and Family Services at the New York Foundling. In these roles, she designed innovative programs that brought evidence-based models to preventive services and for children in foster care and residential placement. She also developed policy and specialized foster care programming to help reduce child welfare's use of residential placements for young people approaching adulthood. Lisa has devoted most of her career to working on behalf of vulnerable populations. She has provided direct service to families in crisis: those experiencing family violence, impacted by poverty, and involved in systems. She received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University and a BA in Psychology from Smith College. Dorcas Miller is the Senior Learning Specialist with Safe Horizon who develops and implements training to individual contributors and supervisory staff at Safe Horizon. Dorcas is also the Co-Chair of the Racial Healing Response Team and a member of the Anti-Racism Steering Committee at Safe Horizon. Dorcas' education includes a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York, Clinical Pastor Education at Cornell Medical Center, and a BA in Business Administration from Pace University.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Safe Horizon: https://www.safehorizon.org Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org.  Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.  

EPISODE SUMMARY: What is organizational culture? Why should you focus on organizational culture? What is the value of investing in organizational culture? How does it relate to Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs)? In this episode, Tony speaks with Gene Klein, LCSW and Caren Dean with Project Harmony. During their conversation, they share how they navigated through periods of growth and change at Project Harmony. As a result, this led the CAC to focus on creating a positive organizational culture. Topics in this episode Project Harmony (3:29) Culture (5:08) Intentional Focus on Culture (7:28) Building Organizational Culture (9:14) Organizational Change Management (17:15) 5 Pillars (21:52) Value of Blocking Time for Organizational Culture (30:59) Reinforcement of Organizational Culture (33:00) Results of Focusing on Organizational Culture (36:43) Recommendations (39:18) GUESTS: Gene Klein, LCSW, is the Executive Director of Project Harmony, a non-profit Child Advocacy Center in Omaha, Nebraska providing services to enhance the quality of child abuse investigations. Under his leadership, Project Harmony has become one of the largest CACs in the nation- serving more than 8,000 children and families with more than 375 co-located partners in a shared facility/campus-all professionals working together to respond to the outcry of child maltreatment and also delivering high quality innovative prevention services. Mr. Klein has over 35 years of leadership experience in agencies serving children and families. He has served on the board of directors for the National Children's Alliance in Washington, D.C., the Nebraska Foster Care Review Board, the Governor's Commission for the Protection of Children, and the Omaha Archdiocese Review Board for the Protection of Children. Mr. Klein has served as a peer reviewer for the Department of Justice (OJJDP) as well as for the National Children's Alliance (NCA) for more than 10 years. Mr. Klein holds a bachelor's degree from Creighton University and a master's degree in social work from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is also a licensed Mental Health Practitioner. Caren Dean, Ph.D., is the Senior Director of People and Culture at Project Harmony. Dr. Dean has been working in Organizational Development and Human Resources with a primary focus on creating human capital strategies that build the infrastructures of an organization through inclusive policies and practices, inspiring leadership, and creating trusting and engaging cultures.  Dr. Dean is inspired to change lives, and to create organizations where people love to come to work. She has a great depth of knowledge in HR from the employee onboarding experience, to their journey off boarding and everything in between. Much of her cultural work and leadership development is focused on utilizing researched material/best practices and making data driven decisions to drive human capital strategies which positively impact the businesses bottom line.                                 Dr. Dean is a certified Gallup Strengths coach. She is passionate about inspiring, motivating and making a positive and measurable impact with individuals, teams and organizations she works with. As a collegiate athlete and a study of Behavioral Cognitive Psychology, Clinical Social Work and Human Capital Management, Dr. Dean has always been motivated by figuring out how and why people thrive, and how to help people bring their best self to work and life every day. Dr. Dean received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, a Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work from San Diego State University, and a Doctorate in Human Capital Management from the Business school at Bellevue University in Nebraska. She is a certified ATD Executive Coach, Gallup Clifton Strengths Coach and certified Emergenetics coach. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Find Your Why by Simon Sinek: https://simonsinek.com/books/find-your-why/ Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (FIRO-B): https://www.themyersbriggs.com/en-US/Products-and-Services/FIRO Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Project Harmony: https://projectharmony.com Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: 1 in 10 people have been victims of sexual assault. Over 80% of these victims know their attacker. In almost 100% of these cases, the attacker uses a method called "grooming". In this episode, filmmaker and survivor Gwen van de Pas joins Tony to discuss the documentary film titled Groomed. Gwen takes us through her journey of making the movie, what she discovered about the grooming process, and the impact grooming has on survivors. If you haven't already watched the movie Groomed, it can be found on the streaming service discovery+.    GUEST: Gwen van de Pas is a Dutch filmmaker who lived in San Francisco for 12 years. She studied Film in Holland, holds an MBA from Stanford, and worked for Consulting firm Bain & Company for 12 years. Passionate about stories that matter, she's ready to tell the story of "GROOMED".   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Groomed: The Movie: http://groomedthemovie.com Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: The National Children's Alliance (NCA) Standards of Accreditation help ensure that all children across the U.S. served by Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) receive consistent, evidence-based services that help them heal from abuse. The Standards for Accredited Members are reviewed through a process coordinated by the NCA Accreditation Department every five years, consistent with the five-year period after which reaccreditation is required. This is done to ensure the Standards reflect the latest evidence and practice. In this episode, Tony speaks with Alyson MacKenzie and Alyssa Todd with the NCA Accreditation Department. During their conversation, they discuss the Standards for Accreditation for Children's Advocacy Centers - its revision process and the changes that take effect January 1, 2023. Importance of the NCA Standards (2:23) Revision process (5:40) Taskforce groups (9:05) Standard changes (12:35) Multidisciplinary Team (13:10) Diversity, Equity, and Access (16:16) Forensic Interview (19:36) Victim Support and Advocacy (20:39) Medical Evaluation (22:37) Mental Health (25:30) Case Review and Coordination (26:56) Case Tracking (28:30) Organizational Capacity (28:50) Child Safety and Protection (32:47) Optional Standards (36:57) Resources (40:36) GUESTS: Alyson MacKenzie is the Director of Accreditation with National Children's Alliance. Alyson has been with NCA for 14 years and focused solely on accreditation the last 7 years. Alyssa Todd is the Accreditation Coordinator with National Children's Alliance. Alyssa has been with NCA for almost three years in the accreditation department. Prior to joining NCA, Alyssa was CAC Director.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Accreditation Bootcamp 2.0: https://learn.nationalchildrensalliance.org/p/AccreditationBootcamp2023 Changes to 2023 Standards: http://www.nrcac.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2023-Standards-Changes.pdf Getting to Know the Standards, 2023 - Webinar Series: https://learn.nationalchildrensalliance.org/products/getting-to-know-the-standards-2023-webinar-series NCA Engage: https://engage.nationalchildrensalliance.org/home NCA's National Standards of Accreditation: https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/ncas-standards-for-accredited-members/ Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org/resources/nca-accreditation-standards/ Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: The Baystate Family Advocacy Center has an exciting new program funded from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) - Child Advocacy Training & Support (CATS) Center. The CATS Center establishes a national training center to provide Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) training, education, and technical assistance on trauma-informed care and evidence-based treatment for children and families.  In this episode, Tony speaks with Kerri Bergendahl, LICSW and Jessica Wozniak, Psy.D. with the Baystate Family Advocacy Center on the training opportunities provided by the CATS Center. CATS Center overview (3:20) CATS Center goals (9:00) Trauma-informed practice (11:15) Training logistics and topics (14:45) FORECAST model (19:00) Ad hoc training opportunities (21:36) Benefits of trauma-informed training for MDTs (23:13) For more information (30:17)   GUESTS: Kerri Bergendahl, LICSW is the Behavioral Health Clinician/Project Specialist with the Child Advocacy Training & Support Center at Baystate Family Advocacy Center. Jessica Wozniak, Psy.D. is the Principal Investigator & Project Director, TF-CBT National Trainer, Manager of the Clinical Research and Development with Baystate Health Department of Psychiatry.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Baystate Family Advocacy Center: https://www.baystatehealth.org/services/pediatrics/family-support-services/family-advocacy-center  Project FORECAST: https://projectforecast.org/  The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: https://www.nctsn.org/   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP, or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY: How do you define the role and responsibilities of Team Facilitator at your CAC? In this episode, Tony speaks with Sue, Vicky, and Brittnee on professionalizing the role of the Team Facilitator. They discuss the importance of the role moving beyond case review to having the role be viewed as more of a leadership position within the CAC. Furthermore, they share what was learned from a recent survey done as a collaborative project by the four Regional Children's Advocacy Centers.    GUESTS: Sue Ascione is a Training Specialist at the Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center (NRCAC). Sue has been with NRCAC for over six years, focusing on team development and the Leadership, Exchange and Coaching (LEC) project. Prior to joining NRCAC, Sue was a CAC Director and Team Facilitator in Lawrence County, PA.   Vicky Gwiasda is the Program Manager at the Western Regional Children's Advocacy Center (WRCAC) based out of the Chadwick Center at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, CA. Vicky has been with WRCAC for over five years. WRCAC provides training and technical assistance on team building for CACs. Prior to joining WRCAC, Vicky was a CAC Director at an accredited CAC in Oakland, CA.  Brittnee Aten-Acheson is the CAC/MDT Coordinator at the Chadwick Center for Children & Families. Brittnee is responsible for program development and evaluation, managing weekly case review, case management and case tracking, website and social media, internal and external administrative and clinical support. Brittnee has 12 years of experience in the field of  child abuse and trauma, previously working as a child welfare social worker in adoptions and hospital based CAC in central CA.    RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center - http://www.nrcac.org  Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center - http://www.srcac.org  Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center - http://www.mrcac.org  Western Regional Children's Advocacy Center - http://www.westernregionalcac.org  Regional Children's Advocacy Center - https://www.regionalcacs.org  Chadwick Center for Children & Families - https://www.chadwickcenter.org  Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center EduNet “Moving Beyond Case Review: Role of the MDT Facilitator - https://www.mrcac.org/course/moving-beyond/  NCA 2023 Standards for Accreditation - https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2023-RedBook-v5B-t-Final-Web.pdf Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY When examining the multidisciplinary team response to child abuse in communities, there are two principles that I believe to must be considered. The first is that MDT's are sophisticated and complex systems that are tasked with providing a coordinated and comprehensive response to child abuse. The second is that no single discipline on an MDT can adequately meet the needs of a victim of child abuse. One would think that such a system tasked with such an important mandate would have a clear leadership structure to ensure that the best possible services are being provided. However, that is not always the case. In this episode, I speak with Chris Newlin, the Executive Director of the National Children's Advocacy Center who shares with us a conceptual model of multilevel shared leadership for MDTs that provides a framework and pathway to more robust and sustainable MDT response to child abuse in your community.    GUEST: Chris Newlin, MS LPC, is the Executive Director of the National Children's Advocacy Center where he is responsible for providing leadership and management of the NCAC and participating in national and international training and leadership activities regarding the protection of children. The NCAC was the first Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) in the world and provides child abuse prevention and intervention services in Huntsville/Madison County; and also houses the NCAC Training Center, the Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center, the NCAC Virtual Training Center, and the Child Abuse Library Online (CALiO™). The NCAC is a past multi-year winner of the Better Business Bureau's Torch Award for Workplace Ethics; 2012 Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit of the Year; 2016 Federal Bureau of Investigation Director's Community Leadership Award recipient; (multi-year finalist), winner in 2016 and 2019 of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Best Places to Work; and a Private Sector Member of the Virtual Global Taskforce. Chris has more than 22 years of experience working in CACs as a Forensic Interviewer, Victim Advocate, Therapist, Clinical Director, and Executive Director. Chris has provided diverse training related to the Children's Advocacy Center Model, the multidisciplinary response to child abuse, the international development of Children's Advocacy Centers, forensic interviewing, best practices in child abuse intervention and response, and additional child maltreatment and exploitation topics in more than 30 countries throughout the world. He has worked in both urban and rural Children's Advocacy Centers. Chris received his Master's in School Psychology from the University of Central Arkansas, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and has completed coursework at the Harvard University Business School Executive Education Program.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Chris Newlin, MS LPC full bio National Children's Advocacy Center Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center Western Regional Children's Advocacy Center   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY We all see the word hope in the vision statements, mission statements, and even within the name of some of our organizations. But what do we mean when we are using this word? My guest for this episode will help put hope in perspective. As a “Hope Scientist,” Dr. Ashley Cross joins the podcast to speak to us about The Science of Hope. As her website states: “Hope is more than a feeling; it is a science and a healing agent. Hope can heal the brain, restore the soul and give life meaning. Since hope a science, this means it can be taught, learned and restored. Hope is the single best predictor of an individual's ability to thrive and research points to hope as being consistently linked to positive outcomes and well-being. If you are interested in having your organization, team, or life become more hope centered, take the time to listen to our conversation. GUEST: Dr. Ashley is a leader with a big heart and a lot of passion. She established the first girls' home in Tulsa, OK and raised awareness in the city about the issues concerning girls in foster care and youth aging out. Through civic engagement, the local church, a dedicated community and a lot of faith and hope, Dr. Ashley raised over 1 million dollars in funds and purchased properties to house girls aging out of foster care or experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma. Dr. Cross has dedicated her life to working in the community to build and sustain hope in vulnerable children, families, and people passionate about improving their communities and the lives around them. She does this by educating, coaching, and empowering individuals through powerful training, individual and organizational resources and direction that helps people build a culture of hope everywhere that they go. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Hub585, which oversees the Monroe County CarePortal, connecting children in foster care with physical and relational resources. She also sits on the board of Bivona Child Advocacy Center. Dr. Ashley holds a bachelor's degree in psychology, a master's in nonprofit management and a doctorate in Educational Leadership, all from Oral Roberts University. Dr. Ashley is also a Full Focus Planner Certified Pro. Dr. Ashley also serves as a Pastor, alongside her husband Melvin Cross Jr, at Glory House International. She and Melvin have three amazing daughters: Jordan, Harper and Madison.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Dr. Ashley Cross The Hub585 University of Oklahoma Hope Research Center    Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY Every Child Advocacy Center wants to create a space that is safe and inclusive for all children and families that walk through the door. At times, the process of creating that space and the conversations that need to be had to ensure such a space can be difficult and uncomfortable. In this episode, I speak with Gale Britton, the Board of Trustees President for Wynona's House, the CAC for Essex County, NJ. We intended to speak specifically about creating diversity within the entire organization. Gale speaks about the importance of clarifying the mission and vision of the organization, understanding the needs of the organization, and understanding the community you are serving. She also speaks about the importance of engaging the right people and what CAC leaders should consider when asking people to join the organization.   GUEST: Gale Britton is the President of the Board of Trustees for Wynona's House, the Child Advocacy Center for Essex County, NJ. She is also the managing partner of a consulting practice where she focuses on Diversity and Inclusion strategy, education, recruitment, and leadership development. Gale has over 30 years of experience in the corporate world, and has been serving on nonprofit boards for over 15 years.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Gale Britton's full bio Wynona's House National Children's Alliance DEI priorities   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY Access to medical care has been an ongoing challenge for many CACs. Whether it be a shortage of qualified practitioners, funding issues, transportation issues, or something else, many CAC leaders have been trying to answer the question of "how can we provide the children and families we serve with the appropriate medical services that will help them heal from the trauma they have faced?" While tele-medicine has been explored in the past, it has risen to the surface due to the circumstances all CACs were faced with during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Andrea Asnes and Paula Schaeffer from the South Central Child advocacy Center in New Haven, CT. Challenged by the circumstances of the pandemic to utilize tele-medicine, Dr. Asnes and Paula had an epiphany about the expanded role tele-medicine can play in their medical program during and after the pandemic. During the episode, they share their experiences, how CACs can further explore the benefits of tele-medicine, and how to incorporate it into your medical program.   GUEST: Dr. Andrea Asnes, MD, MSW is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and board certified child abuse pediatrician who directs the Yale Programs for Safety, Advocacy and Healing. Dr. Asnes also is the Graduate Medical Education Director of Resident and Fellow Wellbeing for Yale-New Haven Hospital. Full bio: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/andrea_asnes/ Paula Schaeffer, MA is the Program Manager at the Yale Child Sexual Abuse Clinic located at the Yale-New Haven Hospital Family Advocacy Center. The Clinic provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessments of children who may have been sexually abused.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: South Central Child Advocacy Center Yale Child Sexual Abuse Clinic Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center National Children's Alliance   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY Have you heard about the role of a Child Life Specialist?  Many of us are under the misconception that Child Life Specialists only work in hospital settings and are tasked with playing with children as they await a procedure or treatment.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In both healthcare and community settings, Certified Child Life Specialists help infants, children, youth and families cope with the stress and uncertainty of acute and chronic illness, injury, trauma, disability, loss and bereavement. They provide evidence-based, developmentally, and psychologically appropriate interventions including therapeutic play, preparation for procedures, and education to reduce fear, anxiety, and pain. There are several misconceptions about the Child Life Profession (www.childlife.org).  In several CAC's across the United States, Child Life Specialists are playing an important role in the victim advocacy services provided to children and families. In this episode, I had the opportunity to learn about the Child Life profession and how it can be incorporated into the CAC world from Annie Drehkoff of the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center.  Annie has a wealth of experience working with children and families and shows us how adding Child Life Specialists to CAC can have great value to the children and families being served as well as the entire CAC team.   GUEST: Annie Drehkoff, MS, CCLS is the Child Life Manager at Chicago Children's Advocacy Center. She has over 10 years of experience working with children and families in a variety of settings, which include early childhood education and child life services at pediatric hospitals and outpatient facilities. At Chicago CAC, she oversees the Child Life Department, which promotes effective coping among children and families impacted by sexual abuse through play, preparation, and other support interventions. She received her MS in Child Development, with the Child Life specialization, from Erikson Institute in 2012 and is a Certified Child Life Specialist.   RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Association of Child Life Professionals “Child Life in Action in a Child Advocacy Center with Annie Drehkoff, MS, CCLS.” Chicago Children's Advocacy Center   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

Episode summary Children with disabilities may be a greater risk for maltreatment than children without disabilities. For many professionals in the child advocacy field, these cases can be difficulty because of a lack of understanding, knowledge, and basic skills to effectively work with a child with a disability.  In this episode, we start your journey of building basic skills needed to effectively work with the children with disabilities who come through your CAC and with their families. My guest is Staci Whitney, the Director of Forensic Interviewing Training for the Modell Consulting Group, LLC.  Staci is a forensic interviewer, trainer, and has extensive training and experience interviewing children and individuals with disabilities who are victims of crime. During our conversation, Staci talks about individuals can overcome the challenges they face when working on cases involving individuals with disabilities as well as what CACs and teams can do to improve their response when cases present themselves.   Recommended resources Staci Whitney bio: https://www.modellconsultinggroup.com/about-us Modell Consulting Group: https://www.modellconsultinggroup.com/ Northeast Regional CAC:  www.nrcac.org Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

Episode summary Cases of children ages 12 and younger with problematic sexual behavior (PSB) can present a myriad of challenges for multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs). After all, MDTs and CACs were historically designed to address maltreatment of children committed by adults, not by other children. When presented with child-initiated harm cases, child-serving agencies are often inadequately equipped to provide the integrated and comprehensive response that is required in these situations. (Sites, Jerri & Widefield, Jimmy. Children with Problematic Sexual Behavior: Recommendations for the Multidisciplinary Team and Children's Advocacy Center Response (2020). In this episode, I speak with the authors of the above referenced white paper, Jerri Sites and Jimmy Widdifield.  Both have extensive experience working with CACs and MDTs and have conducted extensive research on the topic of PSB.  During our conversation, Jerri and Jimmy share their insights and experience along with providing valuable tools for teams who are looking to enhance their response to PSB cases in their community. Recommended resources Jerri Sites at Child Protection Concepts is an independent consultant with 28 years of experience working in the field of child abuse investigations within the CAC movement. Jimmy Widdifield is the Freestanding Multidisciplinary Teams (FSMDT) Programs Manager at the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth in Oklahoma City, OK White Paper: https://calio.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Children-with-Problematic-Sexual-Behavior-Recommendations-for-the-Multidisciplinary-Team-and-Childrens-Advocacy-Center-Response.pdf National Children's Alliance National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth National Children's Advocacy Center Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center Western Regional Children's Advocacy Center Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

Episode summary In the final episode of the 4-part series on Skill Development for Forensic Interviewers, Tony speaks with Andra Chamberlin and Kim Madden from the National Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville, Alabama.  Both Andra and Kim are trainers and forensic interview specialists with a wealth of experience in the child abuse field.  During the conversation, Kim and Andra share their thoughts on the skills needed to be an effective forensic interviewer and how CAC's and MDT's can develop a process to where interviews take the foundational knowledge gained during their initial training and build more formative knowledge around the skills needed to be effective. Guest bio: Andra Chamberlin:  https://www.nationalcac.org/andra-k-chamberlin/ Kim Madden:  https://www.nationalcac.org/kim-madden/ Topics Forensic Interviewing Peer Review for Forensic Interviewers Coaching and Mentoring Forensic Interviewing Skill Development Recommended resources National Children's Advocacy Center Training Center:  www.nationalcac.org NCAC Calio Library: www.calio.org Regional Children's Advocacy Center:  Northeaast:  www.nrcac.org Midwest:  www.mrcac.org Southern:  www.srcac.org Western:  www.westernregionalcac.org

Elevating Your FI Program Still searching for that elusive perfect forensic interview? In this second episode of our two-part conversation with Michele Thames and Christine Rouse, forensic interviewers from Virginia, we discuss the importance of leadership to the success of a forensic interviewing program. Episode Summary When child abuse occurs, cases may be investigated using a Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) and a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). Forensic Interviewers are often employed at CACs and tasked with gathering reliable information from children. An interviewer is required to have knowledge in child development, memory formation, cultural influences, state and federal laws, and skills in questioning children. During this part of our series on forensic interviewing skill development, Michele Thames and Christina Rouse share their insights on the importance of leadership, program support, and proper training programs to the enhancement of any forensic interviewing program. Guest Bios Michele Thames is the Executive Director of SafeSpot Children's Advocacy Center in Fairfax, VA/ She holds a Master's Degree in Education from Cambridge College. She was previously the Supervisor of the Forensic Interview Program at the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters Child Abuse Program in Norfolk, VA. Michele is a trained Forensic Interviewer that has conducted over 3,000 foensic interviews in a multidisciplinary team setting for local, state, federal, and military agencies. She is a board member of the Children's Advocacy Centers of Virginia and faculty for ChildFirst Virginia. Christina Rouse, MSW, is the CAC Program Director/Lead Forensic Interviewer at Children's Trust in Roanoke, VA. She is a graduate of Virginia Tech, where she received a degree in Psychology, as well as a Masters Degree in Social Work from Radford University. Christina has been with her CAC for 13 years and has interviewed over 2,000 children, and has testified as an expert witness in forensic interviewing in Virginia. Children's Trust CAC program serves ten MDTs that cover fourteen jurisdictions, which Christina has helped to coordinate and facilitate to ensure that best practice standards are being met. She has been a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) since 2009, a ChildFirst faculty member since 2012, and served on the board of Virginia's State Chapter of CACs during her career. Recommended Resources SafeSpot CAC - www.safespotfairfax.org Children's Trust - www.roact.org NCAC CALiO Library - https://calio.org/ Regional Children's Advocacy Centers Northeast - www.nrcac.org Midwest - www.mrcac.org Southern - www.srcac.org Western - www.westernregionalcac.org TEND Academy - https://www.tendacademy.ca/ National Children's Alliance - https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/   Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

In Search of the Perfect Interview Is your team searching for the perfect forensic interview? Although a “perfect” outcome might not be possible, the journey is important. In this episode, I speak with two forensic interviewers from the Commonwealth of Virginia about that journey. We discuss some of the challenges that might get in the way and what interviewers and team members can do to overcome the obstacles that impact the journey toward perfection. Episode Summary In the last 5 years, over 1 million children have received forensic interview services at Child Advocacy Centers across the United States. In this second episode of a 4-part series, I speak with Michele Thames and Christina Rouse about what forensic interviews and multidisciplinary teams can do to remove some of the hurdles that get in the way of forensic interviewing programs operating at their best. We discuss tools and resources that forensic interviewers can utilize to enhance their skills as well as what team members can do to support the interviewers on their team. We begin to talk about what the team can do on a systems level, to help ensure that children and families are having the best possible experience they can when coming to the CAC for a forensic interview, but you will have to tune in to part 3 of our series to hear more on that topic! Guest Bio Michele Thames is the Executive Director of SafeSpot Children's Advocacy Center in Fairfax, VA. She holds a Master's Degree in Education from Cambridge College. She was previously the Supervisor of the Forensic Interview Program at the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters Child Abuse Program in Norfolk, Virginia. Michele is a trained Forensic Interviewer that has conducted over 3,000 forensic interviews in a multidisciplinary team setting for local, state, federal and military agencies. She is a board member of the Children's Advocacy Centers of Virginia and faculty for ChildFirst Virginia. Christina Rouse, MSW, is the CAC Program Director/ Lead Forensic Interviewer at Children's Trust in Roanoke, VA. She is a graduate of Virginia Tech where she received a degree in Psychology, and then a Masters in Social Work from Radford University. Christina has been at her CAC for 13 years and has interviewed over 2000 children and has testified as an expert witness in forensic interviewing in Virginia. Children's Trust CAC program serves ten MDT's that cover fourteen jurisdictions and Christina has helped coordinate and facilitate these teams to ensure that best practices are being met. She has been a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) since 2009, ChildFirst faculty since 2012 and served on the Virginia state chapter board for CAC's during her career. Recommended resources SafeSpot CAC: www.safespotfairfax.org Children's Trust: www.roact.org NCAC Calio Library: https://calio.org/ Regional websites: www.nrcac.org www.srcac.org www.mrcar.org www.westernregionalcac.org Tend Academy: https://www.tendacademy.ca/ National Children's Alliance: https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/

In the last five years, over 1 million children have received forensic interview services at Child Advocacy Centers across the United States.  In the first of four episodes dedicated to this topic, Rita Farrell, Director of ChildFirst® for Zero Abuse Project, discusses the value of peer review and how forensic interviewers can continually enhance their skills through coaching, mentoring, and program development.   Episode summary Forensic interviewers are dedicated professionals passionate about helping the children and families they serve.  Like any other professional skill, forensic interviewing skills can deteriorate if not developed.  Forensic interviewers should continually work on enhancing their knowledge and skills in an ongoing effort to do their job effectively.  In this episode, NRCAC Training Specialist Tony DeVincenzo speaks with Rita Farrell, Director of ChildFirst® for Zero Abuse Project about ways interviewers can receive additional training, identify gaps in their skill development, and make a plan to hone their skills to remain effective in this critical MDT role. Rita manages the ChildFirst® Forensic Interview Training Program, ChildFirst® Arkansas state program, and the development of advanced training courses and programs for forensic interviewers. She is a certified law enforcement instructor and provides training and technical assistance for child protection professionals. Rita currently conducts forensic interviews and has interviewed more than 2,500 children. She serves as an expert witness on child sexual abuse, authored many peer reviewed articles specific to forensic interviewing and continues to champion the cause of child advocacy and the field of forensic interviewing. Recommended resources Zero Abuse project. www.zeroabuseproject.org For more information about the Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center, visit our website at www.nrcac.org Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

Teresa Huizar, Executive Director of the National Children’s Alliance, explores how the CAC Movement has risen to meet the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and what opportunities have arisen that may prove beneficial in the future. Episode summary When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, Child Advocacy Center’s and Multidisciplinary Teams were forced to pivot the way they were providing services to children and families in the community.  As the crisis continues, the CAC movement is learning that some of the innovative changes they have made may prove to be beneficial when the pandemic is behind us.  In this episode, I speak with the Executive Director of the National Children’s Alliance, Teresa Huizar.  Teresa has dedicated her career to the CAC movement serving in leadership roles at the local and regional level and for the past 14 years as the Executive Director of the National Children’s Alliance.  During our conversation, Teresa shares her thoughts on the various ways CAC’s and MDT’s across the country have pivoted to meet the challenges posed by this pandemic all while continuing to serve children and families who have suffered the trauma of abuse. Topics in this episode:     Resilience of the people in the CAC Movement Accelerated use of technology Tele-Health Case Review Workforce challenges and opportunities Strategies to address vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress Recommended resources National Children’s Alliance website:  www.nationalchildrensalliance.org One in Ten Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/280046 NCA Learning Center Covid-19nResources for CACs, Partners, and Caregivers: https://learn.nationalchildrensalliance.org/covid For more information of the Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, visit our website at www.nrcac.org Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

The professionals responding to child abuse allegations in their communities are routinely placed in situations where they need to have difficult conversations with children, parents, and caregivers.   Whether working with a family in crisis or breaking bad news to a family in disbelief, good communication skills can go a long way in helping that child and family process and heal from the trauma they have faced.  In this episode, I speak with Dr., Anthony Orsini who is a practicing physician in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando Florida and author, and speaker on the topic of compassionate communications.  During our conversation, Dr. Orsini shares his proven communication techniques that help professionals build rapport and quickly form trusting relationships with clients.    Guest Bio: Dr. Anthony Orsini is a practicing physician, author, and frequent speaker on the topic of compassionate communication in medicine. He is the Level II Medical Director at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando which is one of the largest Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the world. He also serves as Chief of Patient Experience and Palliative Care Liaison for his neonatal practice. Profoundly impacted by an early career experience and the discovery that even the most successful and well-respected physicians often struggled with their communication skills, Dr. Orsini has spent the last 25 years developing proven communication techniques that help doctors build rapport and quickly form trusting relationships with their patients. In 2011, he founded The Orsini Way, a company that provides communication training to healthcare and business professionals. Through his interactive workshops and unique coaching, he has trained thousands of senior physicians, nurses, and practitioners on how to enhance their patient’s overall experience and become more fulfilled with their own lives. Dr. Orsini has authored several papers on the topics of communication in medicine, enhancing the patient experience and delivering tragic news. His recently published book titled “It’s All in the Delivery – Improving  Healthcare Starting With a Single Conversation” is now available on Amazon. He is a frequent keynote speaker at medical and business events, including an upcoming TEDx presentation entitled-Improving Healthcare Starts with a Single Conversation. His weekly podcast “Difficult Conversations – Lessons I Learned as an ICU Physician” hit the Top 100 podcasts on Apple in just 1 week.   For More Information on The Orsini Way: Theorsiniway.com The Orsini Way - Facebook The Orsini Way - LinkedIn It’s All In The Delivery: Improving Healthcare Starting With A Single Conversation by Dr. Anthony Orsini Difficult Conversations – Lessons I Learned as an ICU Physician podcast For more information of the Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, visit our website at www.nrcac.org   Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

Are you looking to add another tool to the mental health services you are providing at the CAC? Do you struggle with those kiddos who cannot regulate and are unable to take part in the systems that need to hear from them? Sensory Motor Arousal Treatment (SMART) is an innovative mental health therapy for complexly traumatized children and adolescents for whom regulation of emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal life is a primary problem.  In this second part of our 2-part series, we discuss SMART as a treatment option for CAC’s, the benefits it can have to the children and families they serve, and how it can be implemented into a mental health program.   Guests:  Dr. Elizabeth Warner, Ed.M, Psy,D Full bio:  https://smartmovespartners.com/smartmoves-team-source-for-training-in-smart/   Shyra Williams, LMSW, ACTP Full bio:  https://cac-ottawa.org/staff/shyra-williams/ Host: Tony DeVincenzo, MA NRCAC Training Specialist Full bio:  https://www.nrcac.org/about/our-team/ Mentioned in this episode: Ed & Nancy Hanenburg Children’s Advocacy Center website https://cac-ottawa.org/ SMARTmoves website https://smartmovespartners.com/ www.nrcac.org   Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

Are you looking to add another tool to the mental health services you are providing at the CAC? Do you struggle with those kiddos who cannot regulate and are unable to take part in the systems that need to hear from them? Sensory Motor Arousal Treatment (SMART) is an innovative mental health therapy for complexly traumatized children and adolescents for whom regulation of emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal life is a primary problem. In this episode, In the first part if this 2-part series, we speak  with Anne Westcott of Smartmoves, LLC in Massachusetts.  As one of the developers of SMART, Anne discusses the development of SMART and the foundational information needed to better understand SMART as a treatment option.  In this second part of the  series, we discuss SMART as a treatment option for CAC’s, the benefits it can have to the children and families they serve, and how it can be implemented into a mental health program. Guests:  Anne Westcott, LICSW Full bio:  https://smartmovespartners.com/smartmoves-team-source-for-training-in-smart/ Host: Tony DeVincenzo, MA NRCAC Training Specialist Full bio:  https://www.nrcac.org/about/our-team/ Mentioned in this episode: Smartmoves, LLC website https://smartmovespartners.com/ www.nrcac.org   Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

Becoming accredited with the National Children's Alliance has a lot of value for CACs, but the process can seem daunting. Darcy Fluharty and Shyra Williams from the Hanenburg CAC in Holland, MI discuss with us the benefits they've experienced in their over 20 years of being an accredited CAC and share some tips on how to best prepare for the accreditation process. - Darcy Fluharty is the Executive Director of the Hanenburg CAC in Holland, MI. Shyra Williams is the Program Director of the Hanenburg CAC. - Mentioned in this episode: Hanenburg CAC - Website, Facebook, Instagram NRCAC - Website, Facebook MRCAC - Website, Facebook SRCAC - Website, Facebook WRCAC - Website NCA - Website, Facebook, Twitter - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

MDT facilitation and coordination presents unique challenges on the best of days, let alone during crisis. On this episode Tony speaks with Greg Flett of the National Children's Advocacy Center about the role of the team facilitator, what coordinating MDTs looks like, and how to approach this role during COVID-19. - Greg Flett is a Senior Program Manager for the Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center, a program of the National Children's Advocacy Center. He has formerly been a CAC Director at centers in New York and Colorado, and was previously an Outreach Coordinator at the Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center. - Mentioned in this episode: Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center - Website, Facebook - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

Leading within the CAC model - no matter your role - is complex under normal circumstances. During a crisis, this complexity is heightened, and the decision must be made about what kind of leader you want to be. Martha Lask joins us on this episode to discuss taking a leadership stance in a crisis situation. - Martha Lask, MSOD, PCC, is an Organizational Development and Coaching consultant in the Philadelphia area. She has collaborated with NRCAC to develop and facilitate the Leadership, Exchange, and Coaching project since 2003. - Mentioned in this episode: Martha Lask's website Leadership, Exchange & Coaching Project - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

CACs work hard to provide high quality services to children and families, as well as build relationships with other service organizations to create a collaborative network for the community. But how do we make ourselves known, so those who need us know where to go? David Johnston from Deirdre's House joins us to discuss the Game of Life, a unique way to familiarize children with the services available in their community. - David Johnston is the Community Liaison and Resource Specialist for Deirdre's House in Morris County, NJ. - For more information on the Game of Life program, visit the program website. - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

What does it mean to lead through a crisis? In this episode, Tony has a conversation with Interim Executive Director Paul DiLorenzo about what it looks like to lead a CAC through our current unprecedented times. - Paul DiLorenzo, ACSW, MSLP is the Interim Executive Director of both the Philadelphia Children's Alliance and Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center. - Mentioned in this episode: Philadelphia Children's Alliance - Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn Virtual Training Series - stay tuned to PCA's Facebook page for information on upcoming trainings - - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

In the second half of this two-part episode on mobile CACs, Stacy Osborn joins us from one of the new mobile CACs to discuss what it's like to operate one, and the impact it has had on MDT members and the community. - Stacy Osborn is the director of Safe Against Violence, a program of Delaware Opportunities, the community action agency in Delaware County, NY. - For more information on Delaware County's mobile CAC, contact Stacy directly at (866) 457-7233. - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

CACs face a number of issues with service accessibility, especially in rural and remote areas. New York has recently rolled out 7 new mobile CACs to help bridge the accessibility gap. In the first half of this two-part episode, Melaney Szklenka from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services joins us to discuss the development and implementation process of these new additions. - Melaney Scklenka supervises the Children and Family Safety Unit of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. - For more information on the mobile CAC program, contact Melaney directly at melaney.scklenka@ocfs.ny.gov or (518) 486-7674. - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

The majority of children seen at CACs are of school age, so what can we do to engage schools in the healing process while respecting the privacy of victims and their families? Nicole Ledoux and Meghan Noyes from the Granite State Children's Alliance join us this episode to discuss the New Hampshire state chapter's efforts to connect CACs with schools to support victims with their Helping Ensure Appropriate Response to Trauma (H.E.A.R.T.) Program. - Nicole Ledoux is the Victim Services Quality Assurance Director of the Granite State Children's Alliance. Meghan Noyes is the Director of Program Services of the Granite State Children's Alliance. - Mentioned in this episode: Granite State Children's Alliance - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube For more information on the H.E.A.R.T. Program, contact Nicole at nledoux@cac-nh.org or Meghan at mnoyes@cac-nh.org - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

Flashback! This episode, we're releasing the first ever pilot we recorded for this podcast, an interview with Bethany Cottrell, former Executive Director of Merrimack County Advocacy Center in New Hampshire, on Peer Review for Forensic Interviewers. Bethany joins us to discuss the importance of Peer Review, as well as how CACs in New Hampshire have structured Peer Review on the local and statewide levels. - Bethany Cottrell is the Human Services Director for Merrimack County, NH. She was previously the Executive Director of the Merrimack County Advocacy Center. - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

Conversations about cultural competency and implicit bias are difficult to have, but are crucial to effectively working on cases and within the MDT. Rashida Cartwright-Thigpen and Dr. Beth Reiman, Co-Chairs of the Cultural Competency Workgroup at the Children's Advocacy Center at Westchester Institute for Human Development, join us this month to talk about their work in establishing a committed, focused, and ongoing conversation about culture and bias in their CAC. - Rashida Cartwright-Thigpen is an Assistant County Attorney in Westchester County, NY, and has been a practicing attorney for over 18 years. Beth Reiman, PhD, LCSW-R, is the Coordinator of Forensic and Clinical Services at the Children's Advocacy Center at Westchester Institute for Human Development, as well as an Assistant Professor at New York Medical College and an Adjunct Professor at City University of New York. - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! - Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

What is the difference between equity and equality? What does it mean to provide true access to services for all children, and how can we get there? The Equity Council, developed by the Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center, is committed to fostering a culture of equity in the CAC movement. Councilmembers Corey Brodsky and Leigha Shoup join us to discuss what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean in the context of CACs and their crucial role in seeing children, families, CAC staff, and communities thrive. - Corey Brodsky, MA, is the Program Manager for Chapter Development & Partnerships at the Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center.  Leigha Shoup, MS, is the former Director of the Child Advocacy Center of West Central Ohio. - Mentioned in this episode: Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center - Website, Facebook, Ideas for Reducing Disparities in Care one-pager Child Advocacy Center of West Central Ohio - Website Intercultural Development Inventory - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.  

CACs and MDTs often encounter cases involving a child who acts out against another child. While the CAC model is well-suited to respond to these cases, teams struggle to develop programs to effectively identify and respond to Youth with Problematic Sexual Behaviors. Leslie Slingsby of Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center sat down with us to discuss her work in developing YPSB programs. - Leslie Slingsby, LSW is the Executive Director of Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center in Montgomery County, PA. She was also the founding director of the Bucks County Children's Advocacy Center. lslingsby@missionkidscac.org - Mentioned in this episode: NRCAC's Youth with Problematic Sexual Behaviors Conference National Children's Alliance resources on YPSB National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth University of Oklahoma's Center on Child Abuse and Neglect Mission Kids - Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

How can we as leaders empower those around us and develop future leaders in the CAC world? In the latest episode of Team Talk, Tony interviews Kori Stephens of the Midwest Regional Children’s Advocacy Center about what coaching is versus what it is not, the benefits of the coaching mindset, and how to truly practice deep listening and asking powerful questions. - Kori Stephens, MPH is the Project Director for the Midwest Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, and is currently in the process of becoming an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation.   - Mentioned in this episode: FranklinCovey – Stephen Covey’s Listening Continuum from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Michael Bungay Stanier – The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever Greg McKeown – Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less Karen Kimsey-House, Henry Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandhal, Laura Whitworth - Coactive Coaching: The Proven Framework for Transformative Conversations at Work and in Life Mike Robbins – Bring Your Whole Self to Work: How Vulnerability Unlocks Creativity, Connection, and Performance (Book and TED Talk) MRCAC - EduNet Webinars, Leading Engaged Teams project   Additional suggested resources: Brené Brown – Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging; Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.; Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead Marilee Adams & Marshall Goldsmith – Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 12 Powerful Tools for Leadership, Coaching, and Life Todd Kashdan & Robert Biswas-Diener – The Upside of Your Dark Side: Why Being Your Whole Self – Not Just Your “Good” Self – Drives Success and Fulfillment Learning Journeys – Website Coaches Training Institute – Website Box of Crayons Consulting - Website -  Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.

Children and families who have experienced the effects of abuse need immediate, high quality, specialized care. However, a number of factors can stand in the way - provider availability, patient schedules, travel requirements, and more. Jennifer Rolls Reutz, MPH joins us on this episode to discuss how Tele-Mental Health can help break down barriers between this crucial mental health care and those who need it. - Jennifer Rolls Reutz, MPH is the Co-Director of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare at the Chadwick Center for Children and Families at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, and the Rural Mental Health Initiative project manager at the Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center.  -   Mentioned in this episode: Western Regional Children's Advocacy Center - Five-Part Webinar Series on Tele-Mental Health  Jennifer Rolls Reutz, MPH is the Co-Director of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare at the Chadwick Center for Children and Families at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, and the Rural Mental Health Initiative project manager at the Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center.  - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. 

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Children's Advocacy Centers across the United States produce events and campaigns to raise awareness for their cause. In this episode, we hear from child abuse professionals throughout the northeast region about their Child Abuse Prevention Month Initiatives. Thanks to Olga Starr of New Jersey Children's Alliance, Arianna Weatherley of Day One in Rhode Island, Madeline Bacon of Massachusetts Children's Alliance, and Linda Cleary of the New York State Children's Alliance for joining us! -  Mentioned in this episode: New Jersey Children's Alliance National Children's Alliance's SHINE Campaign - Facebook, Instagram, Chapter Toolkit, CAC Toolkit or contact Blake Warenik at bwarenik@nca-online.org Day One Sexual Assault Resource Center and Children's Advocacy Center - Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Massachusetts Children's Alliance - Facebook New York State Children's Alliance - One Too Many Campaign - Visit the NRCAC Website for resources, training opportunities, and more! Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. - Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. 

Welcome to NRCAC's new podcast, Team Talk! We'll be highlighting the work of child abuse professionals around the northeast region and across the country in 15-20 minute episodes. If you have suggestions for people or programs to spotlight, please email Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org. Stay tuned for future episodes! -   Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2016-CI-FX-K003 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice.