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Hello Friends of CACI, I am thankful for so much right now. First, I am thankful for you and the time you are taking to read through our activities of the month. Your support in our mission is so important to the children in this state. The CAC membership is stronger than ever. Our directors met last month at our annual conference and the synergy is palpable, this group of amazing individuals are collectively changing and improving our response and support to children and families in Illinois.
The CACI staff continues to give their all, I am so thankful for their commitment to this work, the support they give each other and me, and for being overall wonderful people. We lost Sio, our beloved Data Intern, however, the mark he has left here will be felt long in the future. We welcomed our newest staff member this week, see below for the announcement, know that I am so excited and know that he will be a great addition to our already fantastic team.
I am thankful for our state, regional, and national partners and leaders in this work. By coordinating of efforts, funding, and resources we are able to maximize our impact. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart, please know that YOU can make a difference in the lives of children in big and small ways.
With gratitude,
Kim
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Please say hello to our newest team member, Maurice Shallow!
Maurice has joined the Children's Advocacy Centers of Illinois as Director of Finance, and we are beyond excited to welcome him to the CACI team!
Reporting to the Executive Director (ED) and the Finance Committee of the CACI Board of Directors, the Finance Director continues to build on and manage effective and streamlined administrative/financial systems.
Maurice was previously the CFO/Assistant Comptroller at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, and comes to us after 22 years in that role. We are so lucky to have Maurice join the organization!
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The fourth and final part in our Leadership Supervision Training is coming up on December 1st. Lisa Conradi, PsyD, Executive Director at The Chadwick Center will introduce the key skills of reflective supervision to address secondary traumatic stress and improve workforce well being. This presentation will include practical skills, strategies, and resources developed to support organizations and individuals in using reflective supervision.
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CACI says goodbye to
Sio Broh
November 21, 2022 - The CACI team celebrated, and bid farewell to Sio Broh with a Thanksgiving potluck, lots of laughter, a few tears, hugs, and all the best wishes 🇱🇷
Siotepoh "Sio" Broh, from Liberia, West Africa, joined CACI in August as an International Exchange Fellow participating in the US State Department Community Solutions Program (a year-long professional development program for young global professionals.) CSP is funded by the Department of State and implemented by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX).
Sio brought along his experience working in non-profit education, child protection, and Data management, and worked alongside the CACI data team to learn and use the Collaborate system, as well as clean and graph data.
From Sio: "I have a deep passion for the work that CACI does. I hail from Liberia, a sub-Saharan country in West Africa. My four months at CACI were enriching and beneficial for my professional career. As their first International Exchange Fellow, It was a period of mutual learning.
CACI is incredibly blessed with excellent staff who understand the importance of supporting one another and being welcome in a community. Supporting children and their families is one of the tremendous sacrifices one can make or contribute to, and the CACI, for the last 27 years, has made the sacrifices of providing a comprehensive response to abused Illinois children! I feel humble sharing in their journey. I will miss the team and the memories we made. I owe the CACI a debt of gratitude."
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CACI released the FY22 Annual Report during the recent Directors Conference.
We invite you to take a look at our impact from last year, and see what we will be doing next!
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The Healthcare Response to Child Trafficking and Exploitation - Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center | |
This presentation will discuss definitions, risk factors and dynamics of child labor and sex trafficking, before examining the role of the health professional in recognizing child trafficking and contributing to a holistic, multidisciplinary response that is trauma-informed and culturally responsive. We'll discuss ways health and other child-serving professionals and their organizations can optimize patient/client care through the use of protocols and core competencies.
Presenter: Jordan Greenbaum, MD is a child abuse physician living in Atlanta, GA.
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Data Collection by Medical Providers Can Make a Difference | The study, titled “What Do Child Abuse and Neglect Medical Evaluation Consultation Notes Tell Researchers and Clinicians?”[1] analyzed data gathered from 1,397 children ages 0-17 years, who were referred for a consultation with a child abuse and neglect (CAN) medical provider at an urban teaching and research hospital between March 2013 and December 2017. At the outset, the researchers note that “[a]pproaching the problem of child maltreatment with a developmental-contextual ecological approach and an understanding of the individual- and family-level risk and protective factors involved allows medical providers a broader view of families’ experiences.” | | | |
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CACI Board President, Joan Pernecke was featured in an Alumni Profile from Loyola University Chicago/Mundelein!
The CACI staff and board are grateful for the leadership, passion, expertise, and kindness that Joan brings to our organization.
"Joan says her time at Mundelein reinforced what she already knew: that she wanted to be of service to others, in a meaningful way."
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Cara Vock
Director of Programs and Member Services
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Hello All, Last month, I had an opportunity to take a virtual training on NCA Engage titled: "Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Remote Therapists for Rural CACs." As the research, technology, and support for tele mental health grows, I believe that ALL CACs could benefit from this webinar. This is a great resource for planning and dreaming on expanding our access to mental health services for our children and families. This webinar is still available on NCA Engage, but I would additionally like to pass along this Issue Brief developed by the Western Regional CACs that was provided during this training. I encourage everyone to take a look at it, and think about the pieces that can be developed and worked on at your center now to prepare for opportunities of expansion of access to tele services either now or in the future.
Thank you for all that you do,
Cara
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Zero Abuse Virtual Training Opportunities
Fundamental Skills for Prosecutors:
Check-In and Check Up
December 14, 2022 | 9:00AM-4:30 PM CT
Who should be interested: Prosecutors, law enforcement, or other members of an MDT interested in brushing up on their fundamental skills relevant to every child abuse case and the constantly changing landscape experienced by victims, families, and MDTs. Register Here
Advanced Skills for Prosecutors: New Year, New Utilization of Emerging Topics
December 15, 2022 | 10:00AM-5:30PM CT or December 16, 2022 | 8:00 AM-3:30 PM CT
Who should be interested: Prosecutors, law enforcement, or other members of an MDT who want to build and expand on their existing knowledge of child abuse investigation and prosecution, ensuring they are ready to face the challenges brought on by complicated cases. This training will be offered twice with different start times to accommodate different time zones and alternate schedules.
Register for 12/15 Register for 12/16
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On November 16th and 17th, CACI hosted the 2022 MDT Coordinator Training at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield. This year's speakers were Melissa Box, Clinical Director of ABC Counseling & Family Services, Lisa Gilmore, Senior Trainer & Consultant with Morten Group, LLC, and our very own Cara Vock, Program Manager at CACI.
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CACI hosted the Annual Advocate Conference on Nov 2-3. The training focused on diving deeper into advanced advocate issues. Advocates will have an opportunity to learn from national speakers on topics affecting all advocates and the services they provide. CACI would like to thank Alison Feigh (Zero Abuse Project), Lisa Gilmore (Principal & Founder of Illinois Accountability Initiative) and Jill Duden (Prevent Child Abuse Illinois) our presenters. Thank you to our wonder advocates that attended and participated. This training was successful because of you, and your hard work does not go unnoticed.
CACI hosted its first collaboration with Birth to Five Action Council. The purpose for our Regional 51 Action Council is create a Regional Scan to identify gaps in early childhood needs and make recommendations to expand services, amplify voices of families and from those who sit on our Family Council, work closely with local Early Childhood Early Care providers/advocates to support state and community goals and communicate regularly with families, providers, community members policy makers, and legislators about the region’s Early Childhood Education and Care landscape.
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Hello, I am originally from a small town called Red Rock, which is located in Ontario, Canada. I have been living in the Springfield area for the past 30 years. My wife, Charlene, DNP, FNP-BC, works for SIU Medicine in the Cardiology department. We have a son, Matthew, who lives in Columbia, MO and works as a Review Engineer for the State of Missouri DNR - Department of Environmental Quality Drinking Water Group.
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Upcoming Due Dates
CESF November Fiscal Expense PFR due Monday, December 5, 2022
VOCA November Fiscal Expense PFR due Monday, December 12, 2022 (10th falls on Saturday)
We have started FY23 VOCA and final CESF site visits. I am looking forward to meeting with everyone.
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In the first quarter of FY 23. There has been a total of 3,033 total interviews conducted by the Illinois children's advocacy centers. Which is a 0.9% decrease compared to the first quarter of FY22.
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At CACI, we believe children begin to heal the moment they are heard.
In Illinois, when there is an allegation of child sexual abuse or severe physical abuse, children are referred to a local CAC. There, an interview is conducted in a child-friendly environment by a trained professional who knows the right questions to ask in a way that does not re-traumatize the child. Members of the multidisciplinary team (medical and mental professionals, law enforcement, prosecution, child protective services and more) observe. Following the interview, the child, as well as family members, receive advocacy, medical and mental health referrals to help with the healing process.
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Call the 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline at 800-25-ABUSE
(800-252-2873) if you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.
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