Traveling Soon? These Tips Could Help

Every Thursday, the Wall Street Journal has a travel blog by Scott McCartney, called The Middle Seat.   This week's includes a number of tips, just in time for Spring Break travel.  You can find it at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303816504577309740107491690.html

Revitalize Your Newsletter

Network for Good offers a number of fundraising resources and trainings.  Their new e-book, Take Your Newsletter on an Epic Journey is available for free download.  These e-books are short, but generally contain good information.  You can find it at http://web.networkforgood.org/2012-03-Ebook-From-Print-to-Email-Take-Your-Newsletter-on-Epic-Journey/

Check out the Network for Good website, www.networkforgood.org, to find more resources and training opportunities. 

Huffington Post article supports Victims of Child Abuse Act Funds

An article in the Huffington Post in support of CACs and CASAs.  http://www.ojjdp.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2012/VOCACACSubgrant.pdf

Helping Children and Youth Who Have Experienced Traumatic Events

May 9, 2012 is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day and SAMHSA has a number of materials aimed at raising awareness.  You can visit their website at http://www.samhsa.gov/children/national.asp.  While there, download a short report: Helping Children and Youth Who Have Experienced Traumatic Events. 

Link Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Prescription Drug Use

Researchers in this study looked at the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and prescription drug use.  They found that the more adverse childhood experiences a person reported, the higher the likelihood of  they recieved drug prescriptions to address multiple health issues in adulthood.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2440750/?tool=pubmed

The Organizational Journey toward Cultural and Linguistic Competency

A special issue of Impact, the newsletter of National Child Traumatic Stress Network, focuses on cultural and linquistic competency and its role in providing effective services to child victims of trauma and their families. This is the first part of a four-part series that will address various aspects of cultural and linquistic competency.  Many of the strategies they describe for assessing your community can be helpful when looking at the development or revision of your agency's cultural competency plan. You can find it at http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/newsletters/impact_spring_2012.pdf

 

Interactive Court Prep Game for Children

The Canadian Society for the Investigation of Child Abuse has an interactive game to help prepare young children for court.  Although it deals with a different court system, some of the information is still relevant. 
http://www.childcourtprep.com/children/super_hero_island/

Roadmaps to Health Grants

The Robert Woods Johnson Foundation has announced the availability of grants to improve key indicators of community health.  Twenty grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded for projects of up to 24 months.  Community safety is a target area, as well as other health indicators.  Although child abuse is not specifically named, the ACE study has shown that children who experience adverse childhood experiences have a greater chance of problematic behaviors and poor health later in life.  Brief applications are due May 2, 2012  Those selected will submit a full application by July 25, 2012.  To view the RFP and find the dates for upcoming teleconferences, go to:
http://www.rwjf.org/files/applications/cfp/CFP_roadmaps_12.pdf

Child Maltreatment: The Role of the School Nurse

School nurses often see children in their offices who have physical or somatic complaints that may be linked to child abuse or neglect. The National Association of School Nurses has issued a paper outlining the responsibilities of school nurses in regards to suspected child abuse or neglect.  You can read it at:
http://www.nasn.org/Portals/0/briefs/2012briefmaltreatment.pdf

Preventing Child Maltreatment and Promoting Well-Being: A Network for Action 2012 Resource Guide

Just in time for Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Child Welfare Information Gateway has published a resource guide online that includes information about six protective factors that have been shown to help reduce child abuse and neglect, tip sheets for parents and caretakers, and an online media toolkit.  You can find it at: http://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/preventionmonth/guide2012/index.cfm

Restricting the Pro Se Defendant’s Ability to Personally Question Child Abuse Victims

Defendents have a constitutional right to confront their accusors, something usually done by their attorney when they question a witness  in court. What if the defendant is representing themselves in court (pro se) and the witness is the alledged victim of child abuse?  NDAA has issued a paper examining this issue.  You can read it at: http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/UpdateV23N3.pdf

WA Director Wins 'Best of Women' Award

Congratulations to Mary Blanchett, Executive Director of Children's Justice Center in Vancouver, WA, for being recognized for her work on behalf of abused children.  You can read about this recognition at:
http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/mar/10/soroptimists-hand-out-best-of-women-awards-to-loca/

Funds for Services to Rural Communities

DOJ has funds available for grants to rural communities that use a multidisiciplinary approach for improving services for children, youth, and adults who are victims or potential victims of sexual assault, DV, stalking, and dating violence.  Grants are due March 29th.   Grants are for 36 months and, although there is no grant award cap, they anticipate that individual grant awards will not exceed $1 million. States with rural communities in the west (by US Census definition) include AK, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, and WY.  You must register by March 15th.  Even if you do not think you can meet this year's grant deadline, read the RFP as these funds have been available in previous years and may be again next year.

To view the RFP, go to:

http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/docs/fy2012-rural-solicitation.pdf

Why You Check Your AV Before the Training

Seriously, this same thing happened last time we did a training.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_6SfMZxoLc

Are Children's Advocacy Centers Effective?

For a summary of studies that support the effectiveness of Children's Advocacy Centers, go to:

http://www.nationalcac.org/images/pdfs/CALiO/Bibliographies/efficacy-cacs-bib.pdf

Dear Colleague Letter - please ask your representative to sign it by Friday!

CAC Directors:  Representative Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) have sponsored our HOUSE Dear Colleague letter.  We are so pleased to have bi-partisan support.  Because Republicans are in the majority in the House (and therefore to gain more and much-needed Republican support), Rep. Fitzpatrick’s office is taking the lead in circulating the letter.  These letters are circulated electronically for signature.   Please do the following this week by the end of the day on Friday:

·         Call your Representative’s office and ask him/her to sign the Rep. Fitzpatrick and Rep. Davis Dear Colleague letter to fund the Victims of Child Abuse Act at $20 million for FY13.  (If you do not know who your Rep. is simply go to www.house.gov and type in your zip code and it will pull up your Rep.).  If you do not already have a contact in the office, ask to speak with the Legislative Aide who works on child welfare/child abuse issues.  This will only take about 5 minutes.  Ask the Aide for his/her email address in order to forward them the copy of the letter for their review (this will save you the 101 questions they will otherwise ask you about the letter.)  Then, cut and paste the letters below—at the bottom of this email--into your email to the Aide.  Please feel free to give them my contact and Andi’s if they have any questions regarding the content of the letter or questions about the funding.  And please let them know that Katie Wise is the key contact in Fitzpatrick’s office circulating the letter to other House offices (You do not need to contact her directly—simply let the Aide know that this is the contact in Fitzpatrick’s office collecting signatures.) Most likely they will have to ask their Boss (the Rep.) and get back to you.  Please let me and Andi know the answer when they respond.  It is okay to leave a detailed voicemail for them if they do not answer the phone and then to call back and follow-up.

·         Please ask your Board, MDT members, donors and supporters to do the same!  The volume of calls/emails matter.  Reps assume that if 30 people call them about something there are 300 thinking about the issue that haven’t yet called.  Post this on your website, Facebook page, blog about it, tweet about it, and generally request help in obtaining the funding at $20 million for FY13.

·         If the Aide says that the Rep. plans to send in his own “programmatic support letter”, please let NCA know and feel free to offer our help in filling out these long forms.  These letters are submitted electronically by individual Congressman/women to the relevant Committees about their funding priorities and are also an important avenue for obtaining support for our funding.  However, there are long, complicated forms to fill out.  We have a resource that can quickly help fill these out, so feel free to offer our assistance as deadlines for these are coming up VERY FAST.

·         Make sure you thank the Aide each and every time you talk with them.  Thank them for considering the request.  Thank them for passing it on to the Congressman/woman.  Thank the Congressman/woman for agreeing for agreeing to sign the letter.  Thank them for an individual programmatic support letter.  Even if they say “no” for any reason, thank them for giving it consideration.  You catch more flies with honey, you know… J

·         Report back to NCA any and all answers.

Also, to assist you I have attached a FAQ sheet that includes some talking points.  You may find this helpful in your work on the funding.  THANK YOU for all your help.  I truly appreciate it!  Warm regards, Teresa

March 7, 2012

HELP CHILD ABUSE VICTIMS IN YOUR STATE

Dear Colleague:

We invite you to join us in signing the attached letter to full Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers and Ranking Member Norm Dicks, as well as CJS Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf and Ranking Member Chaka Fattah, encouraging the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science to fund the Children’s Advocacy Center programs authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse Act at $20 million for 2013.  The Victims of Child Abuse Act provides funding to National Children’s Alliance, local Children’s Advocacy Centers, and the four Regional Children’s Advocacy Center programs, all competitively awarded through the Department of Justice.

Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) are public-private community partnerships that bring together law enforcement, prosecutors, child protective services, and the medical and mental health professions to investigate cases of severe child abuse. CACs are located in child-friendly facilities that enable the community to work together in caring for its youngest victims of sexual and physical abuse.

The funds provided to National Children’s Alliance and the Children’s Advocacy Center programs through the appropriations process go directly to local CACs around the country for training, program development, and program support.  Since 1992, federal funding has helped in the establishment and maintenance of more than 750 Children’s Advocacy Center programs in communities across the country.  The number of children helped by Children’s Advocacy Centers has greatly increased from 100,539 in 2000 to more than 269,000 in 2011. 

           

            Securing the Victims of Child Abuse Act funding at $20 million will ensure swift prosecutions for offenders, fewer victimizations and, ultimately, safer communities.  Although hard to imagine, statistics show that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18. Further, adult survivors are 43% more likely to become suicidal than those not abused, 192% more likely to be addicted to drugs, and 103% more likely to be alcoholic.

Please join us in requesting that funding is provided at $20 million for the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 in the FY 2013 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill.  This critical funding will enable more communities to adapt the Children’s Advocacy Center model for investigating cases of severe child abuse.  If you have questions or would like to sign the letter, please contact Katie Wise in the office of Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA) at 5-4276 or Caleb Gilchrist in the office of Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) at 5-2006.  Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Respectfully yours,

/s                                                          /s

Mike Fitzpatrick                                   Danny Davis

Member of Congress                           Member of Congress

The Honorable Hal Rogers                                                      The Honorable Norm Dicks

Chairman                                                                                 Ranking Member

House Appropriations Committee                                            House Appropriations Committee                                                       

H-307, The Capitol                                                                  1016 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, DC  20515                                                          Washington, DC  20515

The Honorable Frank Wolf                                                      The Honorable Chaka Fattah

Chairman                                                                                 Ranking Member

Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State                             Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State

House Appropriations Committee                                            House Appropriations Committee

H-309, The Capitol                                                                  1016 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, DC  20515                                                          Washington, DC  20515

Dear Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Dicks, Chairman Wolf, and Ranking Member Fattah:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

As you begin work on the Fiscal Year 2013 Appropriations bills, we respectfully request that you fund the Children’s Advocacy Center programs authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 at $20 million.   The Victims of Child Abuse Act provides funding to the National Children’s Alliance, local Children’s Advocacy Centers and the four Regional Children’s Advocacy Center programs – all of which support child victims of sexual and severe physical abuse.  All funding for these programs is competitively awarded through the Department of Justice.  We greatly appreciate the Committee’s support in the past for these critically important programs which serve as the front line response to reported cases of child abuse.

Children’s Advocacy Centers provide an efficient and cost-effective mechanism for handling cases of severe child abuse and are strongly supported by law enforcement, prosecutors, and the judiciary.  The funding this program receives through the appropriations process goes directly to local Children’s Advocacy Centers around the country in the form of grants for program support, and training.  Since 1992, the Committee’s funding has enabled the establishment of more than 750 Children’s Advocacy Centers in communities across the country.  The number of children helped by Children’s Advocacy Centers has greatly increased from 100,539 in 2000 to more than 269,000 in 2011. 

Children’s Advocacy Centers are community based public-private partnerships dedicated to a team of professionals pursuing the truth in child abuse investigations.  Professionals from law enforcement, prosecution, child protective services, victim advocacy agencies, and the medical and mental health professionals and volunteers responding to the needs of their own communities.  Although funded in part through public dollars, Children’s Advocacy Centers are primarily private, non-profit, 5019(c)3 organizations and are largely funded through private dollars.  A recently conducted Cost-Benefit Analysis found that the use of a CAC in a child abuse case saved, on average, more than $1,000 per case compared with non-CAC communities due to the efficiencies gained through this tested evidence-supported model.

The primary mission of a Children’s Advocacy Center is to prevent further victimization by ensuring that investigations are comprehensive and meet the age appropriate needs of the child.  Communities with Children’s Advocacy Centers demonstrate increased successful prosecution of perpetrators, reduction in re-abuse rates for child victims, and better access to medical and mental healthcare for child victims of abuse.

Children’s Advocacy Centers can be found in every type of community including rural, urban, and suburban.  They can also be found on Native American Tribal Reservations.  Children’s Advocacy Centers provide services to children from birth to age 18 with close to 40% of the children younger than 6 years old.  In 2011, nearly 70% of children receiving services were victims of sexual abuse, with the balance suffering severe physical abuse, neglect, or witnessing violent crime.  As important as intervention to alleviate the suffering of these children, preventing child sexual abuse in the first place is equally important.  Last year, Children’s Advocacy Centers provided child sexual abuse prevention training to nearly 500,000 individuals, many in a school setting.

We understand that this is an extremely difficult budget year.  The generosity shown by the Committee in funding the Victims of Child Abuse Act for fiscal FY12 at $18 million is truly appreciated.  Funding reductions as a part of the FY11 Continuing Resolution, however, have meant that this was the first year since the establishment of the program where we have been unable to fund new program development.  While we are very proud of the 750 Children’s Advocacy Centers that currently exist serving 2,000 counties in the United States, we know that abused children within the 1,000 unserved counties with no access to a Children’s Advocacy Center also deserve the benefit of this important program.  We believe that the remarkable growth and expansion of Children’s Advocacy Center Programs, as well as the sheer volume of child abuse victims being served by these Centers warrants continued funding at a level which will maintain these programs and allow for future development in currently underserved areas.  Therefore, we are respectfully requesting funding for the Victims of Child Abuse Act at $20 million.

Thank you for your leadership in this critical area and for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Resource for Advocates

The U.S. Office of Victims of Crime (OVC) offers a hosted web forum on issues related to victim advocacy.  Topics include working with child victims of sex trafficking, advocating for children in tribal courts, resiliency in organizations, evidence-based practice, and more.  To join the discussion, or just see what other folks are talking about, go to http://ovc.ncjrs.org/ovcproviderforum/

National Victim of Crimes Week

The U.S. Office of Victims of Crime offers an online toolkit for making the most of National Victims of Crime Week, April 22 - 28, 2012.  The resource guide includes tips on getting your message out, including working with the media, posters, and ads for your website.  The resource guide is also available in Spanish.  To access your free copy, go to http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/notices/2012NCVRWResourceGuide/index.html