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The Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCAA) authorizes various activities to meet the needs of victimized children and their families, including direct services, training and technical assistance (TTA), capacity building, and interagency coordination. The VOCAA Regional Children's Advocacy Centers (RCAC) program supports four regional CACs, one within each of the four U.S. Census regions, which serve developing and established multidisciplinary teams (MDT), local CACs, and state chapter organizations of CACs. The Philadelphia Children's Alliance operates the Northeast Regional CAC. The states in the Northeast Region are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Provider Organization
Philadelphia Children's Alliance/Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center Award Details
Services
Under this project, the NRCAC provides TTA to develop and strengthen CACs and MDTs in the Northeast Region. The NRCAC will work with state chapters to assist in their capacity development and to establish CACs/MDTs in underserved areas, develop protocols to coordinate investigations, and provide treatment. It will also assist established MDTs to create strong interdisciplinary partnerships including medical, mental health, and victim advocacy services and organizational capacity development.
In collaboration with the National Children's Alliance (NCA), the other three Regional CACs, and state chapters, the NRCAC will provide TTA resulting in an increase in the number of children and families receiving evidence-based treatment in a coordinated process. Success will be documented by number of professionals trained, increases in the number of CACs achieving or retaining accreditation with the NCA, increases in the number of MDTs that achieve NCA member status, and the number of programs that improve the access to and receipt of medical and mental health services.
Audience
Child Protection and Advocacy Professionals
Juvenile Justice Specialists
Law Enforcement
Mental Health Professionals
Nonprofit Organizations
Prosecutors
Social Services
Tribal Community
Youth Services Professionals
Eligibility
We are available to provide virtual and onsite (with OJJDP approval) TTA to communities that are developing/enhancing their collaborative response to child abuse cases, and we offer many topics for trainings/conferences including human trafficking, victim advocacy, MDT development, and vicarious trauma/building resiliency.
Product developed include: https://www.nrcac.org, the Needs Assessment/Feasibility Study Tool, CAC Leadership Manual, CAC Directors Toolkit, Case Review Guide, NCA Standards, Leadership Exchange and Coaching, Core Competencies, MDT Orientation Manual, Minimal Facts Guidelines, First Responder Disability Awareness Resource Guide, NRCAC Self Care Checklist, and Guidelines for Interpreters.
Additionally, we completed informative videos with corresponding resource documents on the importance of the medical exam, the role of the victim advocate, building a better case review together, working with children with disabilities, and the value of the investigative team.
