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Office of Plymouth County
District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz |
Mobile Site Index Conway Children´s Advocacy Center
Mission Statement
multi-disciplinary partnership dedicated to minimizing trauma to children and families when concerns of abuse arise. The Center coordinates investigations and assessments with clinical and legal competence in an atmosphere that is safe and respectful of each family´s culture. The Center collaborates in training and research efforts to prevent child abuse in our community. About the Center
The Conway Children´s Advocacy Center (CCAC) offers a comprehensive approach to serving child victims and their families. The Center coordinates and supports an interdisciplinary response in a child-friendly environment that promotes children´s safety, health, and well-being. The CCAC carries out its goals by:
Children in Plymouth County between the ages of three and eighteen, who are the victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, or severe neglect, receive coordinated services from the multi-disciplinary team. All services are developmentally and culturally customized to meet each child´s individual needs. Member Agencies: No one agency or professional alone can prevent and treat the problem of child abuse; a multi-disciplinary response is essential. The CCAC has developed a collaborative partnership between law enforcement, The Department of Social Services (DSS), the Department of Public Health, prosecution, mental health agencies, and Brockton Hospital, to serve the best interests of the child. The CCAC is a child-friendly facility that will host staff from agencies with the primary responsibility of investigating child abuse including; local and / or State Police, the Department of Social Services, and the Plymouth County District Attorney´s Office. The Center is fiscally managed by BAMSI, Inc. 309 Pleasant Street, Brockton, MA 02301. Who We Serve
1. Each year about 500 children are involved in child abuse cases throughout Plymouth County. 2. Child abuse affects every racial, cultural, and economic group throughout Plymouth County. 3. CCAC serves children between the ages of three and eighteen who are reporting, allegations of sexual abuse, physical abuse or severe neglect. 4. Children are referred to the Center by calls from local and /or State Police, Department of Social Services, and schools. 5. The Center provides assistance to non-offending family members including: case management, victim witness services, and referrals to our network of treatment providers for crisis counseling and support groups. Services
A Child-Friendly Facility: The Conway Children´s Advocacy Center is located in a family friendly Victorian home. The house is designed to make children feel comfortable when they are meeting with team members. Before the CCAC existed, most children who were the victims of crime were forced to navigate "the system" alone, and rarely received follow-up services. The CCAC has changed that by providing services that help strengthen criminal and child protection investigations and support the healing of children and their families. These core services are listed below, and are supported through government, individual and corporate support. Case Coordination And Forensic Interviews: Reports involving children are received through the police, the Department of Social Services (DSS), or schools by the multi-disciplinary team coordinator, who schedules times for families to come to the Center. A child sensitive interview is conducted by specially trained forensic interviewers. Each interview is customized to meet the developmental and psychosocial needs of the individual child. The multi-disciplinary team observes the interview on closed-circuit television. The goal is to interview the child victim only once to reduce trauma and strengthen investigations. Advocacy: The Center provides extensive services to children and their families, including emergency response capabilities and linkage to metal health services, domestic violence centers, and rape crisis centers. Victim Witness Advocates provide investigation updates, support, and court accompaniment. A Victim Witness Advocate is assigned to each family through the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office. The Advocate guides and supports the family during and after the investigation process. The Advocate explains the court process, provides status updates, familiarizes the child with the courtroom, and accompanies the family to court. Mental Health: The Center provides specialized counseling referrals and outreach services. The Center developed a network of providers from specialized agencies to which the family can be referred in their own community. The CCAC also has a mental health professional available for consultation with the family. Investigation and Prosecution: Professionals from DSS, local and / or State Police, and the District Attorney's Office all play different roles in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving children. The police conduct criminal investigations; DSS conducts investigations with the overall welfare of the child as the dominant concern; and the District Attorney's Office prosecutes offenders. Multi-Disciplinary Teamwork: A team of professionals collaborate on each family's case including: an Assistant District Attorney, a Police Investigator, a Victim Witness Advocate and at times, DSS. Members of each partner agency take their individual responsibilities and join together as a team to provide the best possible support and most comprehensive investigation possible. Medical Examination: If needed, nurses can conduct on-site child-sensitive, non-invasive sexual abuse exams to collect evidence and safeguard children's health. Culturally Sensitive Services: All CCAC services are customized to meet each family's cultural needs. Multilingual services will be available in Cape Verdean, Spanish, sign language, and other languages as needed. Forensic Interviews: Specially trained Child Interview Specialists talk to children about the abuse they have experienced, while team members observe on closed-circuit TV. All child interviews are videotaped. The goal is to reduce trauma to children by limiting the amount of times they need to relate what happened to them. Advocacy Program
The Conway Children's Advocacy Center’s (CCAC) Advocacy program is critical to the success of child abuse investigations and to helping children and families receive compassionate services at the Center. Victim Witness Advocates, from the District Attorney's Office, provide support and assistance to children and families experiencing the trauma of child abuse. Advocates educate families about the roles of each investigating agency at the Center, the investigation process, and the services that are in place to help children and families. Advocates can access services in several different languages. Role of the Advocate: Participation in the Multi-Disciplinary Team: The Advocate observes the child's forensic interview as part of the multi-disciplinary team. After the interview the Advocate, together with the multi-disciplinary team will meet with the family to explain what may happen next in the investigation. Throughout the investigation the Advocate will update the family of any court dates, familiarize the child and family with the courthouse, and provide court accompaniment. Linkage to Community Resources: Based on the needs of the family, the Advocate can provide resources located close to the family’s home. These referrals, such as medical, mental health, housing, safety, and crisis intervention are provided through a network of service providers. Victim's Compensation: The Advocate will provide information about the Massachusetts Attorney General's Victim Compensation Program, which provides financial assistance to victims of crime. The Advocate can assist a family with the paperwork necessary to file for victim compensation. Post Charging: Should the case go forward with prosecution the Advocate monitors and informs the family of the status of the court case and educates the family about the court process. The Advocate works closely with the Assistant District Attorney handling the case. The Advocate will take the child to visit the courtroom to familiarize the child with the surroundings. The Advocate will accompany the family to court to provide assistance, support, and explain proceedings. The Advocate will continue working with the family until the conclusion of prosecution. Medical Clinic
About the Clinic: The Medical Clinic at the Conway Children´s Advocacy Center conducts medical examinations of children who may have been sexually abused. Pediatric-SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) Nurses, who are nurse practitioners trained in recognizing the signs of child abuse, conduct the medical exams. The SANE Nurse collects evidence and documents findings using specialized cameras called med-scopes. After the exam, the SANE Nurse works closely with the police, Department of Social Services, prosecutors, and Victim Witness Advocates to quickly share the results of the medical exam and ensure the child´s safety from further harm. The nurse also performs general physical exams of the children to check for other health problems that may be unrelated to the abuse. The Medical Clinic provides the following services:
Mental Health Referral Program
The Conway Children's Advocacy Center's (CCAC) mental health referral program assists children and families in the healing process. The program is critical to helping children and families receive appropriate services in the community. Research has shown that providing intervention and therapy immediately after the abuse is disclosed may reduce the severity and duration of trauma related reactions. Services are available in several languages. Impact of Abuse on Children: Children who have been abused may experience some symptoms associated with trauma including: flashbacks, sleep disturbances (nightmares), irritability, depression, suicidal ideation, delusions, hallucinations, behavior problems, school and learning problems, and low self-esteem. Services Provided:
A Mental Health Consultant is available to meet with the family and determine the most appropriate services for each child and family member. Many children come to the Center unaware of their own trauma as a result of the abuse. Recognizing the need for specific treatment for child victims, the CCAC developed a network of community providers from specialized agencies to which families can be referred. Children and family members are referred to area counseling services in the community where they live. These services may include but not be limited to: ongoing counseling, group therapy, and evaluations. Forensic Interview Program
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 assesses the child´s developmental, emotional, and communication skills. The interview is conducted at a level that is consistent with the child's developmental abilities. The Multi-Disciplinary Team: As needed, representatives from the agencies responsible for investigating allegations of child abuse observe the interview, conducted by a Forensic Child Interview Specialist, on closed-circuit television. These representatives may include: local and/or State Police, a Victim Witness Advocate, an Assistant District Attorney, and an investigator from the Department of Social Services. Three Purposes of Forensic Interviewing: The main goals of all forensic interviews of children are: 1. To minimize the trauma of investigation for the child. Because the child must talk with strangers and may describe extensive details, the investigation can be upsetting. Trauma is minimized by decreasing the number of times the child is interviewed, and by providing a sensitive and knowledgeable interviewer. 2. To maintain the integrity of the investigation process. The goal of the forensic interview is to provide information for decision making in three areas: child protection, law enforcement, and supportive services. As a result, the information gathered is sensitive to the form of permissible questioning in each area. 3. To minimize contamination of the child's memory of the event(s). The interviewer utilizes techniques that elicit correct information and avoids questions that might lead, influence, change or contaminate the child's memory of the event(s). Training and Qualifications: Forensic interviewers must have a degree in the human service field, criminal justice, or law. They have several years of experience working with abused children and adolescents. New interviewers undergo intensive training and a continuous peer review process. Report Child Abuse
In Plymouth County alone, over 500 children each year allege abuse. Each case must be investigated to ensure the child is safe from further harm. Child abuse can impact a child´s physical and mental well being. Emotionally, children can experience withdrawal, post-traumatic stress disorder, and feelings of shame, distrust and guilt. If you suspect any case involving child sexual or physical abuse and neglect, report it immediately to your local police department by calling 911, and by calling the Massachusetts Department of Social Services Abuse Hotline at 800-792-5200. How You Can Help
The Conway Children´s Advocacy Center depends on BAMSI (Brockton Area Multi-Services, Inc.), foundation grants, government and individual private support. Tax deductible donations can be made through BAMSI to the Conway Children´s Advocacy Center. For more information regarding how you can help, please contact the center at 508-580-3383, or by fax: 508-580-0128. Contact Us
Conway Children's Advocacy Center of Plymouth County 309 Pleasant Street Brockton, MA 02301-3235 Telephone: 508-580-3383 Fax: 508-580-0128 From the North Take I-93 South until exit RT-24 S exit 4 Brockton. Then continue and take exit RT-27S exit 18A Brockton. Then Turn left on to Pleasant Street. From the South Take I-93S until Exit 20 on the left toward I-95. Merge on to MA-24S take exit 4 on the left toward Brockton. Then merge onto MA-27S and take exit 18A toward Brockton. End at 309 Pleasant Street Brockton, MA. |
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Plymouth County District Attorney's Office |
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