Annual Summary 2010 - Click here for printable version

Unique in Everyway

CAP is a program unlike any other non-profit organization located within Wyoming. CAP’s mission is to provide coordinated and comprehensive services for alleged victims of child abuse in order to minimize trauma to children, break the cy-cle of abuse and foster a more effective and efficient community response to child maltreatment.

Since operations began in 2002, CAP has made a significant impact on child abuse in Wyoming. We are proud of the work that we have accomplished in the last eight years. The 2010 Annual Summary has been designed to highlight those suc-cesses and celebrate our partnerships with others in our fight against child abuse.

It is difficult to put into words how CAP services touch the lives of trauma-tized children. It is even more difficult to reduce individual, emotional circumstanc-es into whole, generic statistics. The charts and grids that follow represent the total number of services and children served at CAP, however it is vitally important to re-member that for each number indicated, a child’s life has potentially changed forev-er. At CAP, we strive towards gaining a better understanding of the individual child's circumstances and to assist them in accessing medical and mental health ser-vices necessary for their journey toward recovery.

We would like to thank the illustrators of the 2010 Annual Summary Report; children who have re-ceived services at the Children’s Advocacy Pro-ject.

Heather Ross
Executive Director
Children’s Advocacy Project, Inc.
(307) 232-0159

Unique Services:

The Children’s Advocacy Project (CAP) provides services that are unique in every way. CAP services are available to children who are suspected of being a vic-tim of child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse / neglect or have been a witness to a violent crime. CAP recognizes that a community cannot simply intervene in child abuse cases, but instead must proactively address the underlying issue of abuse. Therefore, CAP provides comprehensive services for child victims.

CAP services include:

• Education opportunities to help the community gain a better understanding of child abuse, learning how to recognize abuse and report suspicions.

• Experts and authorities in the field of child abuse work cooperatively, extend their knowledge base and develop solutions.

• Highly trained Forensic Interviewers conduct interviews using a national proto-col, ensuring non-biased and non-leading questioning.

• Team members are able to observe the Forensic Interview via closed-circuit tele-vision in the monitoring room.

• Families in crisis find guidance and are educated about ways to protect their chil-dren. Families are provided information and referrals that help them support their child.

• Forensic Medical Exams are conducted by highly skilled Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, ensuring children are physically safe and healthy.

• Licensed Clinical Social Workers provide therapeutic counseling services, help-ing children begin their process of healing.

2002-2010:
- 1181 Forensic Interviews
- 1646 Children Served

In 2010:
197 children were interviewed at CAP.
18 children had a Sexual Assault Exam at CAP.
17 children who were served had a disability.

In 2010:
• 193 cases were opened
• Investigations of 206 alleged offenders occurred
• Suspects Aged 19 to 50+ years of age are the largest category
• Victims are more likely to know the suspect than to be unknown
• Suspects are more likely to be a relative Of the victim (parent, step-parent or other relative)

Unique Staff

Staff at the Children’s Advocacy Project are the foundation of CAP’s success. Three full time staff members and seven independent contractors work cooper-atively to ensure the highest quality of services are available to child victims in our community.

Child Advocate: Works closely with families, orienting them into the program, providing education on the forensic interview and investigation pro-cess, and helping them navigate through the often unknown world of the legal and prosecutorial process.

Forensic Interviewer: Highly trained in the protocol of conducting forensic interviewing of children, conducts an unbiased interview that is a fact find-ing mission, formulating open ended questions that allows the child to tell their story in a developmentally appropriate manner.

Executive Director: Ensures that partner agencies have strong working relationships with one another, adequate funding is available to meet the pro-gram goals and that the public is educated on the prevalence of child abuse and sexual abuse.

Peer Reviewer: Child psychologist with extensive knowledge in child sexual abuse, reviews interviews with interviewers on an on-going basis, and provides feed-back on enhancing interviewer skills.

Sexual Assault Nurse: Conducts forensic medical exams to alleged child victims of sexual assault, documents medical findings and provides the child and family with educa- tion on the body’s healing process.

Medical Director: Medical doctor who provides oversight and direction of medical services.

Counselor / Therapist: Licensed Clinical Social Workers who have received additional training on counseling child victims of crime, provide therapeutic counseling services to children at CAP.

2010:
223 Children Received Services at CAP

Unique Environment:

CAP is proud to be able to offer children and families in our community a welcoming, child friendly atmosphere. Children are able to play with the toys and stuffed animals as they wait for their appointment. A warm environment helps the child and their family feel more safe and confortable.

The child focused environment carries throughout the building, including into the medical exam room. With state-of-the-art medical equip-ment, Sexual Assault Nurses are able to perform forensic medical exams. Children and their families also receive education about their body and its incredible healing process. Children having an exam at CAP receive a pillow and blanket to use during the exam and to take home with them. New clothing is also available when items must be taken and used as evidence.

Licensed Clinical Social Workers provide child focused therapy services at CAP. Counselors with specialized training in working with children who have been affected by abuse and trauma help children begin their healing. The therapy room boasts toys and books that assist the counselor in the therapy sessions.

2010:
21 Mental Health Evaluations
317 Individual Counseling Sessions

2002-2010:
1351 Individual Counseling Sessions

Tiffany's Story
Tiffany’s story is real. Names, identifying information and some events have been changed to protect confidentiality.

At the young age of 8 years old, Tiffany’s childhood was shattered when her 59 year old grandfather sexually abused her. Tiffany’s grandfather had recently moved in with Tiffany, her mother and her three siblings. Too frightened to tell anyone, the abuse went undisclosed for several months. Until late one evening in August, when Tiffany’s mother saw her father showing her daughter explicit photos on the computer.

Tiffany’s mother immediately reported the incident and made Tiffany’s grandfather leave her home. That afternoon a Detective from the Casper Police Department and an Investigator from the Department of Family Services scheduled an appointment for Tiffany at the Children’s Advocacy Project. CAP’s Child Advocate met them at the door when they arrived for their appointment. The Child Advocate helped Tiffany’s mother complete the necessary paperwork and helped them feel comfortable while they waited. Before the interview began, they were able to ask questions and play with the toys in the family room.

Tiffany’s interview with a CAP Forensic Interviewer revealed that her grandfather had shown sexually explicit photos to her and her sister and that he had sexually abused both of them. As Tiffany told her story, a team comprised of a Police Detective, DFS Child Protection Investigator and an Assistant District Attorney watched through close circuit television. Utilizing CAP’s newly implemented iRecord video recording system, team members were be able to share this essential information with authorities throughout the investigation. The Forensic Interviewer met with the Team Members about halfway through the interview to ensure any questions were clarified.

After Tiffany had finished telling her story, she returned to the family room at CAP and assured her six year old sister that she could have a turn telling her story. Given the opportunity during a Forensic Interview, Tiffany’s sister shared that she had also been sexually assaulted. Their younger sibling was also interviewed as a precaution and fortunately no evidence of abuse was revealed.

Once the interviews on both Tiffany and her sister were completed, the investigative team conducted a search of the home where physical evidence was obtained. Most im-portantly, the state-of-the-art recording equipment eliminated the need for additional interviews by law enforcement and the possibility of additional trauma for Tiffany and her family.

Tiffany and her sister received Forensic Medical Exams from a trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. The colposcope, a high powered magnification device that provides both still photos and video images of injuries, is used on every Forensic Medical Exam performed at CAP.

Following the Forensic Interview, Tiffany and her family were referred for mental health follow-up counseling services to help begin their steps toward healing. Tiffany has been able to use workbooks during her therapy sessions with Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has received specialized training on providing trauma focused therapy. Tiffany has been attending counseling once a week for five months now.

Given the opportunity and support to uncover the truth, Tiffany was able to provide the police and prosecutors with testimony and physical evidence of her grandfather’s crimes. The detective arrested her grandfather that night. Upon hearing about the children’s disclosures and corroborating evidence found during the investigation, he confessed to abusing the children. Tiffany’s grandfather was sentenced to 12-17 years in prison and will be a registered sex offender for his lifetime.

Tiffany continues to attend counseling sessions at CAP. Her biological father moved back to Casper recently and they have taken steps to rebuild their relationship. Tiffany’s counselor describes her as being very smart and creative. She has a great sense of humor and is very witty. Tiffany hopes to become a veterinarian one day to work with sick animals. If she could make one wish, it would be to have everyone be nice to each other.

Unique MDT Approach

CAP is a private, non-profit, stand alone facility that serves as a catalyst in how partner agencies incorporate a multi-disciplinary approach by work cooperatively and collabora-tively during child abuse investigations. Research shows that investigations conducted jointly by law enforcement and child protection workers are more effective and efficient in the prosecution of crimes against children. Our partners in the fight to stop crimes against children in Natrona County, include:

• Casper Police Department
• Evansville Police Department
• Mills Police Department
• Natrona County Sheriff’s Department
• 7th Judicial District Attorney’s Office
• Department of Family Services

2002-2010:
1266 Child Abuse Cases Opened
181 Case Review Team Meetings

An MDT approach to Child Abuse Means:

• Collaborative Investigations Between Agencies
• Utilizing Strengths of Team Members
• Increased Efficiency
• Stronger Prosecutorial Evidence

Unique Collaborations...

CAP is the only accredited Children’s Advocacy Center in Wyoming. Investigators across the state choose CAP when a child needs a Forensic Interview.

Unique Focus on Prevention

Raising Awareness:
CAP continues to strive to raise the awareness of child sexual abuse in our community and across the state. A number of presentation and media segments have helped educate on the realities and prevalence of child sexual abuse. Here are a few examples:

• KTWO Radio, Open Spaces
• Casper College, Social Work Classes
• Wellness Conference
• Weekly Child Abuse articles in the Casper Star Tribune, April
• Live K2 News at Noon
• KTWO Three Part Media Segment Highlighted Child Sexual Abuse in Wyoming
• Wyoming PBS Radio Segment

Learning How to Prevent, Recognize and React Responsibly
Stewards of Children 7 Steps to Protecting Our Children is an introductory guide for respon-sible adults interested in the prevention of child sexual abuse. The 7 Steps outline the Dark-ness to Light core principles for preventing, recognizing, and reacting responsibly to child sexual abuse and form the framework for the adult training program, Stewards of Children.

Training Facilitators Across The State
With the help of the United Way of Natrona County, CAP will be hosting a Darkness To Light Stewards of Children facilitator training in February 2011. Our goal is to train a minimum of 10 new facilitators across the state, enabling communities statewide to join CAP in the fight to stop child sexual abuse in Wyoming. Persons registered for the training to become facilita-tors in their communities, include: CASA Directors, County Attorney Victim Response Coor-dinators, Child Advocacy Directors, Boys and Girls Club Directors and other members of the community.

Individuals Trained in Stewards of Children
2010: 109
2008-2010: 556

Unique Supporters

Without the support of generous donors, CAP would be unable to serve child victims in our community. We wish to thank each individual and group who supported CAP in 2010 in the annual Shoot Trap For CAP fundraiser, donating supplies or in a variety of other ways.

CAP would like to offer a special acknowledgement to the following individuals and groups whose support and generosity goes above and beyond the act of kindness.

Be Unique!

We have come a long way since opening in 2002, yet we understand that our work is far from done. Become part of the movement to ensure child victims in our community have the highest quality of services available.

Contact CAP to find out how you can BE UNIQUE!

350 North Ash; Casper WY 82601
(307) 232-0159
www.childrensadvocacyproject.org