CHILDRENS ADVOCACY CENTER OF SUFFOLK COUNTY INC
989 COMMONWEALTH AVENUE, BOSTON, MA 02215 www.suffolkcac.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO UNITE PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PROMOTE SAFETY, HEALING AND JUSTICE FOR CHILD VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE ORGANIZATION COORDINATES A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF POLICE, PROSECUTORS,SOCIAL WORKERS, ADVOCATES, MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND OTHERS TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY SPECIALIZED SERVICES FOR ABUSED CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.WHEN A CHILD AND FAMILY IS REFERRED TO OUR CENTER, WE FACILITATE COMPREHENSIVE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM ASSESSMENTS AND FORENSIC INTERVIEWS. FAMILY ADVOCATES, CLINICIANS, AND A PEDIATRIC SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINER PROVIDE EXPERT MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, AND A TEAM OF ADVOCATES PROVIDE A SPECIALIZED MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE FOR HIGH RISK AND SEXUALLY EXPLOITED YOUTH. ALL SERVICES ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE.

DURING FISCAL YEAR 2020, CAC OFFERED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES:THE CAC'S MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM PROVIDED TRAUMA SERVICES TO CHILDREN EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE AND ABUSE AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF GRANT FUNDING FROM VOCA, THE JE & ZB BUTLER FOUNDATION, THE MARIGOLD CHARITABLE TRUST AND OTHERS, CAC CLINICIANS PROVIDED CRISIS INTERVENTION, SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY AS WELL AS ASSESSMENT AND EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.SPECIALIZED CAC SERVICES INCLUDE PROBLEMATIC SEXUAL BEHAVIOR-COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (PSB-CBT, FOR YOUNG CHILDREN WITH PROBLEMATIC SEXUAL BEHAVIORS AND THE CHILD & FAMILY TRAUMATIC STRESS INTERVENTION (CFTSI) TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE AND TO PREVENT THE ONSET OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. BOTH PSB-CBT AND CFTSI ARE EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS WITH MEASURABLE BENEFITS. IN ADDITION, THE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM PROVIDED TRAINING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS, MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS AND BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF INCLUDING TEACHERS, STUDENT SUPPORT, SCHOOL NURSES AND OTHERS. THE MAJORITY OF CHILDREN SERVED BY CAC MENTAL HEALTH STAFF ARE REFERRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND DECLINED FOR PROSECUTIONTHE CAC'S SUPPORT TO END EXPLOITATION NOW (SEEN) PROGRAM PROVIDED SERVICES TO OVER 200 YOUTH REFERRED DUE TO CONCERNS OF COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION. ALL OF THESE YOUTH RECEIVED ENHANCED COORDINATION FROM THE SEEN CASE MANAGERS. GRANTS AND GIFTS ALLOWED THE ORGANIZATION TO SUSTAIN THE PROGRAM MANAGER AS WELL AS TWO FULL-TIME CASE MANAGERS THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR. THROUGHOUT FY20, SEEN ALSO PROVIDED 24/7 CASE COORDINATION EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS TO ENSURE TIMELY SERVICE. SEEN CONTINUED ITS OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EFFORTS AND PROVIDED TRAINING TO PROFESSIONALS REGARDING THE COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF YOUTH AND THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE MODEL. SEEN PROVIDED TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS AND THE U.S. REGARDING A MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE TO EXPLOITED YOUTH. SEEN CONTINUES TO BE RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR ITS INNOVATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE RESPONSE MODEL AND CITED AS A LEADER IN THE FIELD.THE CAC'S MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ("MDT") TEAM INVESTIGATION IS THE HEART OF THE CAC'S RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE. THE GOAL OF THE MDT IS TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO CONCERNS OF CHILD ABUSE AND TO DETERMINE THE BEST RESPONSE FOR THE CHILD AND FAMILY. CAC FORENSIC INTERVIEWERS CONDUCT CLINICALLY AND LEGALLY SOUND INTERVIEWS TO PROVIDE CHILDREN AN OPPORTUNITY TO DESCRIBE THEIR ABUSE IN THEIR OWN WORDS. THE MULTIDISCIPILNARY TEAM INCLUDES AN INVESTIGATION AND MEDICAL & MENTAL HEALTH CARE TO SUPPORT SAFETY, HEALING AND JUSTICE.THROUGH ITS OUTREACH AND TRAINING, THE CAC OFFERS TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PROFESSIONALS AND YOUTHER. TRAINING TOPICS INCLUDE: RESPONDING TO DISCLOSURES OF ABUSE, HOW TO TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT SAFETY, COMMERICAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, ONLINE SAFETY, THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE TO CHILD ABUSE, FORENSIC INTERVIEWING, TRAUMA AND SEXUAL ABUSE EVALUATIONS, CHILD-CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND DEVELOPING PROGRAMMING TO RESPOND TO COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION. NEW TRAININGS INCLUDE "PARENTING SAFE CHILDREN" FOR ADULTS AND CAREGIVERS, "RELATIONSHIPS & TECHNOLOGY" FOR YOUTH. TRAININGS ARE OFFERED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH.IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19, THE CAC QUICKLY ADAPTED ITS SERVICES TO A VIRTUAL MODE. WHILE UNCHARTED, THIS ADAPTATION HAS BEEN REMARKABLY EFFECTIVE, AND IN SOME INSTANCES, INCREASED ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR FAMILIES WHO MAY OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO PARTICIPATE ONSITE. THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, THE NEED FOR SUPPORT (BOTH EMOTIONAL AND CONCRETE) HAS ONLY GROWN AS FAMILIES ARE CHALLENGED BY HOME CONFINEMENT, LOSS OF SCHOOL/CHILDCARE, ISOLATION AND ECONOMIC HARDSHIP. THE NEED FOR CAC'S SERVICES IS GREATER THAN EVER.

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