Programmatic and Infrastructure Enhancements for the St. Paul Children's Advocacy Center

This program furthers the Department's mission by providing cooperative agreements for enhancement and expansion of Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) to organizations that OJJDP designates. The purpose of this program is to increase the coverage and capacity of CAC services in Alaska for child victims of abuse. The project goal is to implement programmatic enhancements to increase the range and quality of services provided by the St. Paul Island CAC and strengthen specific physical facility infrastructure needs. The immediate target population is the children receiving tribal child welfare services and Office of Children’s Services (OCS) support and their families. The Aleut Community will also serve an estimated 98 children who had previous reports of harm but were screened out or had initial assessments and not placed in the care and custody of the tribe or OCS, as well as an estimated 105 children not currently identified or previously reported as victims but who are at risk and in potential need of services. The project will establish a multidisciplinary team (MDT) with written protocols and guidelines and implement CAC services, coordinated with the Department of Community Safety and Peace, and services provided by other MDT professionals and agencies serving child abuse victims. Under this project, the Aleut Community will also upgrade CAC infrastructure (physical spaces including the interview room, exam room, and waiting room for nonoffending caregivers) by professionally installing interviewing equipment, installing soundproofing panels, purchasing needed furniture, and implementing services in the upgraded facility. As a result of these enhancements, the Aleut Community will complete the NCA accreditation process. CA/NCF