Overview
Child abuse can have lifelong consequences that last well into adulthood. However, the psychological toll on victims and families can be mitigated with evidence-based, trauma-informed care from experienced multidisciplinary teams. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) funds projects, programs and training that are critical to the intervention and investigation of child abuse and neglect cases.
In fiscal year (FY) 2022, there were an estimated 1,990 deaths from child abuse or neglect and 558,899 victims nationwide, according to the 2022 Child Maltreatment report from the Children's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families.
Programs and Funding
Victims of Child Abuse Act Program
The Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (VOCAA) authorizes OJJDP to administer programs to promote effective delivery of the children’s advocacy center model, multidisciplinary responses to child abuse, court appointed special advocates programs, and child abuse training for judicial personnel and practitioners. These programs work to improve the lives of those affected by child abuse by maximizing access to and the impact of multidisciplinary responses to child abuse, effective advocacy through the court process for abused and neglected children, as well as improving the judicial response to abuse and neglect cases. The VOCAA works through direct funding, subgrants, and training and technical assistance.
In fiscal year (FY) 2023, the Office awarded $39.2 million in VOCAA projects and training and technical assistance. While the funding cycles vary and some programs are multi-year efforts, OJJDP supports the following initiatives in this area:
- Children's Advocacy Centers National Subgrant Program
- FY 2023–$28.7 million
- National Membership and Accreditation for Children's Advocacy Centers
- FY 2023–$750,000
- Regional Children's Advocacy Centers
- FY 2023–$5 million
- Tribal Children's Advocacy Centers Training and Technical Assistance
- FY 2023–$800,000
- Child Abuse Training for Judicial and Court Personnel
- FY 2023–$1 million
- Training and Technical Assistance for Child Abuse Professionals
- FY 2023–$3 million
Children's Advocacy Centers
In FY 2023, OJJDP awarded more than $28.7 million to the Children's Advocacy Centers National Subgrants Program to support local Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) and state chapters. CACs coordinate the investigation, prosecution and treatment of child abuse cases using multidisciplinary, trauma-informed teams of professionals from child protective and victim advocacy services, law enforcement and prosecution, and the medical and mental health fields.
There are four regional centers: Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center, Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center, Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center and the Western Regional Children's Advocacy Center. These centers provide training and technical assistance to CACs and state chapters in each of the region that are tailored to the needs of their region.
OJJDP's VOCAA CAC partners provide service and support through grants and training and technical assistance to Centers nationwide.
- This includes more than $34.4 million to support for local, Tribal, and regional CACs and $4.8 million for training and technical assistance for Tribal CACs, child abuse prosecutors; and judicial, legal, and social services professionals.
OJJDP's CAC Partners Funded Under VOCAA
VOCAA CAC Partners' Strategic Plan The VOCAA CAC Partners work together to identify priority areas and leverage collective resources toward multidisciplinary responses to child abuse with established core values of accountability, being child-centered and trauma-informed, and dedication to a multidisciplinary approach, diverse perspectives, and evidence-informed practice. In April 2024, the VOCAA CAC Partners created a strategic plan to define the priorities of their work together with the goal of eliminating any duplication of activities and increasing the efficiency and impact of multidisciplinary responses to child abuse. The plan has four focus areas: 1) Reach and Access, 2) Growth and Capacity, 3) Fidelity and Minimum Standards, and 4) Expanding and Innovation. A link to the synopsis of the plan is forthcoming. |
National Children's Alliance
The National Children's Alliance oversees accreditation, advocacy, membership, national leadership and quality assurance to the network of 961 CACs. The Alliance also provides training, technical assistance, and networking opportunities to communities that are planning, establishing, or improving local centers.
Child Protection: Dependency Courts
FY 2022—$16.0 million
FY 2021—$14.3 million
FY 2020—$14.0 million
FY 2019—$13.4 million
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Court appointed special advocates are volunteers trained to serve as fact finders, monitors, and facilitators for children who have been abused, neglected or are at risk of victimization.
In FY 2022, OJJDP awarded $12.4 million to the National CASA Association to expand the national membership and accreditation program for state and local CASA programs and make available training and technical assistance to support new and existing state and local CASA programs across the nation under the CASA Training and Technical Assistance project.
CASA has trained 97,900 volunteers from 939 CASA programs and served 242,000 abused and neglected children in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
Child Abuse Training for Judicial and Court Personnel
In FY 2023, OJJDP awarded $1 million to the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges to provide training and technical assistance to judicial, legal and social service professionals to improve their understanding of and response to cases of child abuse and neglect.
The Child Abuse Training for Judicial and Court Personnel project trains judicial, legal and social service professionals to improve their response in child abuse and neglect cases. It also teaches practitioners how to coordinate information and services across the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.
OJJDP continues their efforts to support intervention and investigation of child abuse cases. Through evidence-based training by their network of training and technical assistance providers and funding for programs to assist multidisciplinary teams, the Office strives for positive outcomes for victims and their families.
Post Secondary Education Opportunities for Child Protection Professionals
In FY 2023, OJJDP awarded more than $1.7 million to organizations to support the training of future mandated reporters and child protection professionals in the field, including law enforcement officers, social workers, mental and medical health professionals, and prosecutors. The goal of this program is to increase the knowledge base and skills of mandated reporters and child protection professionals to recognize and appropriately address the impact of violence and psychological trauma on children. The two organizations awarded were the University of Washington to implement the Honoring Native Children through Strengthening Child Protection: Native Child Advocacy Studies (NCAST) Program and the University of Texas at Arlington for the Interprofessional Education to Promote Equity in Mandated Reporting: A Certificate Program Approach.
Resources
OJJDP Resources:
- Model Programs Guide Literature Review: Children Exposed to Violence
- Model Programs Guide Literature Review: Intersection of Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems
- Program page: Children's Advocacy Centers
- In Focus Fact Sheet: Child Protection: Dependency Courts
- In Focus Fact Sheet: Children's Advocacy Centers
- In Focus Fact Sheet: Support for Prosecutors Who Work With Youth
- Statistical Briefing Book: Youth as Victims
Additional Resources: