NRCAC Team Talk – Details, episodes & analysis

EPISODE SUMMARY:

In this episode of NRCAC Team Talk, we spotlight the New Jersey Children’s Alliance’s groundbreaking, statewide approach to addressing problematic sexual behavior (PSB) in youth. Join guests Nydia Monagas, Maria Isabel Poontoriero (MIP), and Valeria Vila from NJCA as they discuss the development of this innovative program, its foundational framework, and key insights from its first year of implementation.

Whether you're a child advocacy professional, part of a multidisciplinary team, or a Chapter leader seeking to strengthen your community's response to PSB, this episode offers valuable takeaways and inspiration.

Tune in now and discover how your community can take steps toward a more coordinated and effective PSB response.

Topics in this episode:

• What prompted the creation of a statewide PSB response (4:24)
• Formation of the workgroup (9:47)
• Program framework (12:22)
  • Referrals
  • Training
  • Funding
• Quality assurance and data collection
• Challenges (19:31)
• How a case flows through the program (26:53)
• Feedback (30:58)
• What’s next (36:13)
• Advice for other states (40:06)

GUESTS:

Nydia Y. Monagas, Psy.D., is the Director of Training and Statewide Initiatives with the New Jersey Children’s Alliance (NJCA), a statewide non-profit whose mission is to promote and support communities in providing a coordinated investigation and comprehensive response to victims of child abuse, neglect and family violence. Dr. Monagas serves as co-chair of the Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) Statewide Response Workgroup, which established a statewide strategy to respond to cases involving PSB. Dr. Monagas is also an Associate Teaching Professor in the McCormick Center for Child Advocacy and Policy at Montclair State University, where she supervises the practicum experience for undergraduate Child Advocacy and Policy majors and teaches courses on child abuse and neglect, child advocacy, and other related topics. She is also the Director the Family Impact Seminars in New Jersey which provides state policymakers with nonpartisan, solution-oriented research on family issues. Dr. Monagas serves on several statewide Boards, including the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect and the Child Advocacy Center-Multidisciplinary Team Advisory Board. Dr. Monagas previously conducted psychological evaluations and treatment for children and families involved with Child Protective Services. She completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.  She also has a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology and a Post-Bachelor’s Certificate in Child Advocacy from Montclair State University.

Maria Isabella Pontoriero (“MIP”), LMSW, MPH, is a licensed social worker and forensic interviewer. MIP is Program Manager at the New Jersey Children's Alliance, managing New Jersey's statewide coordinated response to youth who are impacted by and/or initiate problematic sexual behaviors. MIP is also Founder and Consultant for Enhanced Choice Training & Consulting LLC, which provides specialized training, program development, and case consultation services to individuals and agencies who serve victims of crime and exploitation. In addition, MIP provides training and peer review feedback as a consultant on an as-needed basis for Modell Consulting Group and RADAR Child Forensic Interview Models. She previously served as Lead Social Worker for the New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center & Audrey Hepburn CARE Center at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. There, she supervised the full-time and contract forensic interviewing staff and coordinated a child trafficking survivor services team called BRAVE (Building Resilience for All Victims of Exploitation). In partnership with the New Orleans Police Department, MIP developed Louisiana's first proactive recovery planning team that provided rapid recovery and advocacy response to missing and exploited youth who have left home. MIP develops and delivers in-service and New Recruits child abuse curricula for the New Orleans Police Department Training Academy. In her spare time, MIP loves to bake, read, and celebrate Mardi Gras!

Valeria Vila, Ph.D., is passionate about leveraging data to inform evidence-based practices that promote community safety, reduce harm, and expand access to critical services for vulnerable populations. At the New Jersey Children’s Alliance, she leads data efforts for the Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) Program, analyzing trends and shaping policy recommendations to strengthen services and support healing.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• New Jersey Children’s Alliance: https://njcainc.org
• Social Media Platforms
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/njcainc
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/njcainc/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-jersey-childrens-alliance/
• Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org
• Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org

Looking for training and technical assistance for your Chapter, Children's Advocacy Center, or multidisciplinary team? Northeast Regional CAC provides training and assistance services to help you implement an effective, sustainable, collaborative response to child abuse. Visit NRCAC.org/request to learn more and request assistance today!

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Click here to share your suggestions.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Understanding the history and challenges faced by Tribal Nations is essential for building trust and fostering meaningful partnerships within the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) movement. In this episode, Deanna Chancellor shares insights from her experience, discussing the historical trauma Indigenous communities have faced, how it impacts engagement with service providers, and key considerations for CACs and multidisciplinary teams seeking to build trust and meaningful partnerships. Tune in to gain valuable perspectives and actionable steps for strengthening relationships with Tribal Nations.

GUEST:

Deanna Chancellor is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and serves as the Project Director for the Native Child Advocacy Resource Center. Prior to this she served as a Children’s Advocacy Center Director for eighteen years in rural Southeastern Oklahoma. Deanna has extensive experience in the establishment and management of CAC and the coordination of the MDT. She provides training and technical assistance to Native Nations and Non-Tribal partners on issues related to the field of child maltreatment.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Connect with Deanna Chancellor, deanna.chancellor@mso.umt.edu
• Native Child Advocacy Resource Center: https://www.nativecac.org
• National Native Children’s Trauma Center: https://www.facebook.com/NNCTC
• Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org
• Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org

Looking for training and technical assistance for your Chapter, Children's Advocacy Center, or multidisciplinary team? Northeast Regional CAC provides training and assistance services to help you implement an effective, sustainable, collaborative response to child abuse. Visit NRCAC.org/request to learn more and request assistance today!

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Click here to share your suggestions.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

1 in 10 people have been victims of sexual assault. Over 80% of these victims know their attacker. In almost 100% of these cases, the attacker uses a method called "grooming".

In this episode, filmmaker and survivor Gwen van de Pas joins Tony to discuss the documentary film titled Groomed. Gwen takes us through her journey of making the movie, what she discovered about the grooming process, and the impact grooming has on survivors.

If you haven't already watched the movie Groomed, it can be found on the streaming service discovery+. 

GUEST:

Gwen van de Pas is a Dutch filmmaker who lived in San Francisco for 12 years. She studied Film in Holland, holds an MBA from Stanford, and worked for Consulting firm Bain & Company for 12 years. Passionate about stories that matter, she's ready to tell the story of "GROOMED".

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Groomed: The Movie: http://groomedthemovie.com
• Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org
• Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

The Baystate Family Advocacy Center has an exciting new program funded from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) - Child Advocacy Training & Support (CATS) Center. The CATS Center establishes a national training center to provide Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) training, education, and technical assistance on trauma-informed care and evidence-based treatment for children and families. 

In this episode, Tony speaks with Kerri Bergendahl, LICSW and Jessica Wozniak, Psy.D. with the Baystate Family Advocacy Center on the training opportunities provided by the CATS Center.

• CATS Center overview (3:20)
• CATS Center goals (9:00)
• Trauma-informed practice (11:15)
• Training logistics and topics (14:45)
• FORECAST model (19:00)
• Ad hoc training opportunities (21:36)
• Benefits of trauma-informed training for MDTs (23:13)
• For more information (30:17)

GUESTS:

Kerri Bergendahl, LICSW is the Behavioral Health Clinician/Project Specialist with the Child Advocacy Training & Support Center at Baystate Family Advocacy Center.

Jessica Wozniak, Psy.D. is the Principal Investigator & Project Director, TF-CBT National Trainer, Manager of the Clinical Research and Development with Baystate Health Department of Psychiatry.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Project FORECAST: https://projectforecast.org/ 
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: https://www.nctsn.org/
• Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org
• Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.regionalcacs.org

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP, or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

How do you define the role and responsibilities of Team Facilitator at your CAC? In this episode, Tony speaks with Sue, Vicky, and Brittnee on professionalizing the role of the Team Facilitator. They discuss the importance of the role moving beyond case review to having the role be viewed as more of a leadership position within the CAC. Furthermore, they share what was learned from a recent survey done as a collaborative project by the four Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers. 

GUESTS:

Sue Ascione is a Training Specialist at the Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center (NRCAC). Sue has been with NRCAC for over six years, focusing on team development and the Leadership, Exchange and Coaching (LEC) project. Prior to joining NRCAC, Sue was a CAC Director and Team Facilitator in Lawrence County, PA.  

Vicky Gwiasda is the Program Manager at the Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center (WRCAC) based out of the Chadwick Center at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA. Vicky has been with WRCAC for over five years. WRCAC provides training and technical assistance on team building for CACs. Prior to joining WRCAC, Vicky was a CAC Director at an accredited CAC in Oakland, CA. 

Brittnee Aten-Acheson is the CAC/MDT Coordinator at the Chadwick Center for Children & Families. Brittnee is responsible for program development and evaluation, managing weekly case review, case management and case tracking, website and social media, internal and external administrative and clinical support. Brittnee has 12 years of experience in the field of  child abuse and trauma, previously working as a child welfare social worker in adoptions and hospital based CAC in central CA. 

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center - http://www.nrcac.org 
• Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center - http://www.srcac.org 
• Midwest Regional Children’s Advocacy Center - http://www.mrcac.org 
• Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center - http://www.westernregionalcac.org 
• Regional Children’s Advocacy Center - https://www.regionalcacs.org 
• Chadwick Center for Children & Families - https://www.chadwickcenter.org 
• Midwest Regional Children’s Advocacy Center EduNet “Moving Beyond Case Review: Role of the MDT Facilitator - https://www.mrcac.org/course/moving-beyond/ 

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

When examining the multidisciplinary team response to child abuse in communities, there are two principles that I believe to must be considered. The first is that MDT’s are sophisticated and complex systems that are tasked with providing a coordinated and comprehensive response to child abuse. The second is that no single discipline on an MDT can adequately meet the needs of a victim of child abuse. One would think that such a system tasked with such an important mandate would have a clear leadership structure to ensure that the best possible services are being provided. However, that is not always the case. In this episode, I speak with Chris Newlin, the Executive Director of the National Children’s Advocacy Center who shares with us a conceptual model of multilevel shared leadership for MDTs that provides a framework and pathway to more robust and sustainable MDT response to child abuse in your community. 

GUEST:

Chris Newlin, MS LPC, is the Executive Director of the National Children’s Advocacy Center where he is responsible for providing leadership and management of the NCAC and participating in national and international training and leadership activities regarding the protection of children. The NCAC was the first Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) in the world and provides child abuse prevention and intervention services in Huntsville/Madison County; and also houses the NCAC Training Center, the Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, the NCAC Virtual Training Center, and the Child Abuse Library Online (CALiO™). The NCAC is a past multi-year winner of the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Workplace Ethics; 2012 Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit of the Year; 2016 Federal Bureau of Investigation Director’s Community Leadership Award recipient; (multi-year finalist), winner in 2016 and 2019 of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Best Places to Work; and a Private Sector Member of the Virtual Global Taskforce.

Chris has more than 22 years of experience working in CACs as a Forensic Interviewer, Victim Advocate, Therapist, Clinical Director, and Executive Director. Chris has provided diverse training related to the Children’s Advocacy Center Model, the multidisciplinary response to child abuse, the international development of Children’s Advocacy Centers, forensic interviewing, best practices in child abuse intervention and response, and additional child maltreatment and exploitation topics in more than 30 countries throughout the world. He has worked in both urban and rural Children’s Advocacy Centers. Chris received his Master’s in School Psychology from the University of Central Arkansas, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and has completed coursework at the Harvard University Business School Executive Education Program.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Chris Newlin, MS LPC full bio
• National Children’s Advocacy Center
• Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center
• Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center
• Midwest Regional Children’s Advocacy Center
• Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

We all see the word hope in the vision statements, mission statements, and even within the name of some of our organizations. But what do we mean when we are using this word? My guest for this episode will help put hope in perspective. As a “Hope Scientist,” Dr. Ashley Cross joins the podcast to speak to us about The Science of Hope. As her website states: “Hope is more than a feeling; it is a science and a healing agent. Hope can heal the brain, restore the soul and give life meaning. Since hope a science, this means it can be taught, learned and restored. Hope is the single best predictor of an individual’s ability to thrive and research points to hope as being consistently linked to positive outcomes and well-being. If you are interested in having your organization, team, or life become more hope centered, take the time to listen to our conversation.

Dr. Ashley is a leader with a big heart and a lot of passion. She established the first girls’ home in Tulsa, OK and raised awareness in the city about the issues concerning girls in foster care and youth aging out. Through civic engagement, the local church, a dedicated community and a lot of faith and hope, Dr. Ashley raised over 1 million dollars in funds and purchased properties to house girls aging out of foster care or experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma. Dr. Cross has dedicated her life to working in the community to build and sustain hope in vulnerable children, families, and people passionate about improving their communities and the lives around them. She does this by educating, coaching, and empowering individuals through powerful training, individual and organizational resources and direction that helps people build a culture of hope everywhere that they go.

She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Hub585, which oversees the Monroe County CarePortal, connecting children in foster care with physical and relational resources. She also sits on the board of Bivona Child Advocacy Center.

Dr. Ashley holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s in nonprofit management and a doctorate in Educational Leadership, all from Oral Roberts University. Dr. Ashley is also a Full Focus Planner Certified Pro.

Dr. Ashley also serves as a Pastor, alongside her husband Melvin Cross Jr, at Glory House International. She and Melvin have three amazing daughters: Jordan, Harper and Madison.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Dr. Ashley Cross
• The Hub585
• University of Oklahoma Hope Research Center 

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Have you heard about the role of a Child Life Specialist?  Many of us are under the misconception that Child Life Specialists only work in hospital settings and are tasked with playing with children as they await a procedure or treatment. Nothing could be further from the truth. In both healthcare and community settings, Certified Child Life Specialists help infants, children, youth and families cope with the stress and uncertainty of acute and chronic illness, injury, trauma, disability, loss and bereavement. They provide evidence-based, developmentally, and psychologically appropriate interventions including therapeutic play, preparation for procedures, and education to reduce fear, anxiety, and pain. There are several misconceptions about the Child Life Profession (www.childlife.org).  In several CAC’s across the United States, Child Life Specialists are playing an important role in the victim advocacy services provided to children and families.

In this episode, I had the opportunity to learn about the Child Life profession and how it can be incorporated into the CAC world from Annie Drehkoff of the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center.  Annie has a wealth of experience working with children and families and shows us how adding Child Life Specialists to CAC can have great value to the children and families being served as well as the entire CAC team.

GUEST:

Annie Drehkoff, MS, CCLS is the Child Life Manager at Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center. She has over 10 years of experience working with children and families in a variety of settings, which include early childhood education and child life services at pediatric hospitals and outpatient facilities. At Chicago CAC, she oversees the Child Life Department, which promotes effective coping among children and families impacted by sexual abuse through play, preparation, and other support interventions. She received her MS in Child Development, with the Child Life specialization, from Erikson Institute in 2012 and is a Certified Child Life Specialist.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Children with disabilities may be at a greater risk for maltreatment than children without disabilities. For many professionals in the child advocacy field, these cases can be difficult because of a lack of understanding, knowledge, and basic skills to effectively work with a child with a disability.  In this episode, we start your journey of building basic skills needed to effectively work with the children with disabilities who come through your CAC and with their families.

My guest is Staci Whitney, the Director of Forensic Interviewing Training for the Modell Consulting Group, LLC. Staci is a forensic interviewer, trainer, and has extensive training and experience interviewing children and individuals with disabilities who are victims of crime. During our conversation, Staci talks about individuals can overcome the challenges they face when working on cases involving individuals with disabilities as well as what CACs and teams can do to improve their response when cases present themselves.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Staci Whitney bio: https://www.modellconsultinggroup.com/about
• Modell Consulting Group: https://www.modellconsultinggroup.com/
• Northeast Regional CAC: www.nrcac.org

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Cases of children ages 12 and younger with problematic sexual behavior (PSB) can present a myriad of challenges for multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs). After all, MDTs and CACs were historically designed to address maltreatment of children committed by adults, not by other children. When presented with child-initiated harm cases, child-serving agencies are often inadequately equipped to provide the integrated and comprehensive response that is required in these situations. (Sites, Jerri & Widefield, Jimmy. Children with Problematic Sexual Behavior: Recommendations for the Multidisciplinary Team and Children’s Advocacy Center Response (2020).

In this episode, I speak with the authors of the above referenced white paper, Jerri Sites and Jimmy Widdifield.  Both have extensive experience working with CACs and MDTs and have conducted extensive research on the topic of PSB.  During our conversation, Jerri and Jimmy share their insights and experience along with providing valuable tools for teams who are looking to enhance their response to PSB cases in their community.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Jerri Sites at Child Protection Concepts is an independent consultant with 28 years of experience working in the field of child abuse investigations within the CAC movement.
• Jimmy Widdifield is the Freestanding Multidisciplinary Teams (FSMDT) Programs Manager at the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth in Oklahoma City, OK
• White Paper: https://calio.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Children-with-Problematic-Sexual-Behavior-Recommendations-for-the-Multidisciplinary-Team-and-Childrens-Advocacy-Center-Response.pdf
• National Children’s Alliance
• National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth
• National Children’s Advocacy Center
• Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center
• Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center
• Midwest Regional Children’s Advocacy Center
• Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center

Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Email your suggestions to Tony DeVincenzo at tony@nrcac.org.

Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 2019-CI-FX-K005 and CFDA #16.758 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.