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Programs
& Services
Click below for more information on:
Programs:
Girls
Group
Group
Therapy for Adolescent Girls
Volunteering
Services:
Forensic Interview: We provide
forensic interviews to children
aged 2-17. The
goal of a forensic interview is to obtain a
statement from a child who may
have been abused. The
interview is conducted in a
developmentally-sensitive, unbiased
and truth seeking manner that will
support accurate and fair
decision-making in the criminal justice and
child welfare systems.
Through a series of non-leading questions, the
interviewer gently
assesses the child’s communication skills so the
interview is
conducted at a level that is consistent with the child’s
developmental abilities.
The
forensic interview is used to assess whether or not a crime
has occurred. All
interviews conducted are recorded in the CAC
interview room with only the child and interviewer in the room.
Law
enforcement investigators, prosecutors from the District
Attorney’s
Office, Child Protective Services Investigators, mental
health
professionals and medical professionals witness the
interview through
closed circuit television in the monitoring room
on-site.
Forensic
Evaluation:
Children are referred for extended
forensic evaluation when: 1) the child
does not disclose abuse
to investigators, but exhibits behaviors or other
indicators
strongly suggestive of victimization, 2) the extent or nature
of
abuse is not disclosed by the child during the initial investigative
interview, or 3) when the information gathered in the initial
investigative interview needs further clarification.
The purposes
of the Forensic Evaluation are to: (1) determine
the likelihood of whether
or not the child has been abused, and
to identify suspected perpetrators
(2) gather forensically sound
facts necessary for child protection and law
enforcement officials
to understand what, if anything, has happened (3)
allow the child
to disclose over time in a non-threatening environment and
to
assess the extent and nature of the alleged abuse (4) gather
information regarding the child's social and behavioral functioning
in
order to make treatment recommendations, and to establish
a foundation for
effective treatment if needed.
Therapeutic Intervention: The
mental health services not only
address the abuse allegations but the
needs of specialized
population who are victims of sexual/physical abuse.
Therapists
conduct individual, family, and/or group counseling. By
creating
a safe, therapeutic relationship, children and their families are
able to process their experiences and begin healing from the
abuse they
have endured. Each client's treatment is individualized
to meet his or her
emotional, psychological, and developmental
needs. Services are offered to
children, siblings, and to non-
offending caregivers.
Mental Health
Assessments: All mental health
treatment
begins with a thorough assessment process that includes clinical
interviews, observations of the client and his/her family, and
administration of psychological self-report measures, and review
of
relevant documents. The therapist, client (if age appropriate),
and the
caregiver/parent will meet to review the results of the
assessment and
then complete a treatment plan that includes
identification of specific
problems and goals.
Medical
Evaluation: Children may be scheduled to
receive a
medical examination, which may include a sexual assault
examination. All examinations are conducted by a board-certified
pediatrician who specializes in forensic examinations for children.
Chain
of evidence protocols are followed to ensure the protection
of evidence.
Forensic
Medical Examinations:
Well
Child Check-ups:
Victim
Support/Advocacy: The
Advocates are designed to
support non-offending caregivers in cases of
alleged child sexual
abuse in such a manner that they can act responsibly
to protect
and support the alleged child victim.
The
non-offending caregiver, particularly in incest cases, is
besieged by a
wide array of pressures and emotions. If the child
is to be protected and
remain in their own home the non-offending
caregiver often must choose to
support the child in the face of their
own denial, that of the alleged
abuser, and the denial of their
family and friends. This task is made more
difficult by the array
of emotions with which the parent must deal,
including denial,
shame, rejection, fear, anger, and loss. Added to this
is the reality
many such parents were themselves victimized as children,
thus
the alleged abuse potentially rekindles old deep-seated emotions.
Combined with the emotional stress is the financial impact
caused by
sudden separations and the loneliness and isolation
often resulting from
separations.
The Advocate
helps to identify the non-offending caregiver's most
urgent need for the
family. Basic needs must be met first, such as
food, clothing, shelter and
safety of the child. The advocate’s role
is to provide support for the
non-offending caregiver and help
guide the caregiver toward healthy
decision making.
Case
Review: Team discussion and information sharing r
egarding the
investigation, case status and services needed by
the child and family
occur on a routine basis.
Case
Tracking: A system of monitoring case progress and
tracking case
outcomes for team components to ensure statistical
accuracy.
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