How did you first get involved with SCAN?

I became involved with SCAN about 5 months ago when I was looking to move from central Florida to the Richmond area. I was looking for growth opportunities within the field of child welfare and SCAN’s mission stuck out to me. 

What has your life/work experience been that brought you to SCAN? What is your current role?

I began working as a Child Protective Investigator with the Florida Department of Children and Families in October of 2022. I served as an investigator for 2 years before working as an investigative analyst for my final year with the department.

In September of 2025, I found the job listing for the forensic interviewer position with Greater Richmond SCAN Child Advocacy Center, which is my current role. I was elated when I received the job offer, as this was the exact type of position I was looking for. I get to have meaningful interactions with children and families every day, while getting to take my time interviewing them to establish rapport and then gradually moving into the topic of concern.

What inspires you to stay involved with your work at SCAN?

With my previous experience working within child welfare, I was responding to incidents of immediate crisis, witnessing families in their most vulnerable state. The investigative process consisted of short term involvement and I didn’t get to be a part of the healing journey for affected families.

Since becoming involved with SCAN, I get to see families openly discuss their hardships within a time frame that fits their personal needs. Their initial involvement with the child advocacy center may come at a time which is vulnerable and frightening. However, our ability to create a safe space for kids and families is a step in the right direction towards stopping abuse, and healing from it.

Is there anything you wish other people knew about SCAN?

I wish other people were able to see the passion that SCAN’s employees have for the work that we do. Our team is small at the Child Advocacy Center, but everyone works so hard to make sure we are adequately serving our families in need.

What has been the best experience with SCAN so far?

I really value our monthly Multidisciplinary team/ case review meetings that occur in both Richmond and Henrico. It’s great to be able to discuss the cases and get feedback on how our work is directly affecting clients.

What are any challenges you have faced in your work with SCAN?

It has been very eye-opening to see all of the services that SCAN provides and how involved we are in the community. I’ve been trying to make mental notes of just how far our work reaches!

Do you have any goals or hopes for the next year with SCAN? Is there anything coming up/happening in your work that you are excited about or want to share?

I am so excited to become more comfortable and confident in my new position as a Forensic Interviewer! I’m looking forward to being on my own with forensic interviewing in the next couple weeks. Forensic Interviewers go through Child First training, which is one of the interview methods approved by the National Children’s Alliance. It focuses on open ended questions/narrative-based responses so that the child can recall the topic of concern more naturally and in their own words. After completing Child First training, I began shadowing another SCAN CAC Forensic Interviewer. Next, I began conducting interviews while the other Forensic Interviewer and Law Enforcement/Child Protective Services watch me from the observation room. I take small breaks through the interview process to see if any of the observers have any questions they’d like me to ask the child. I’ve been completing interviews with the other SCAN CAC Forensic Interviewers oversight for around 5 weeks. Soon i’ll integrate to completing interviews on my own.

Are you involved with any other community organizations, hobbies, or activities?

I just moved here in November, so I would love to start being involved with some type of new community, but I’m still looking for something that feels right to me! I love listening to music and collecting physical copies of albums. My roommate and I play a different record every night while cooking dinner! I love trying new restaurants!

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?

I love video games!

We are thrilled to share the incredible success of this year’s Mustaches 4 Kids Richmond growing season! Thanks to the dedication and generosity of the M4K Richmond community, over $1 million was raised to support local nonprofits, including $70,000 for Greater Richmond SCAN.

A special thank you to the 'Staches for SCAN team growers who donned their mustaches with pride, rallied support, and worked hard to make

this year’s M4K season a success. Your efforts will make a lasting impact

on children and families in our community. We are so grateful to be part of this amazing tradition and can’t wait to grow again next year!



Host a private Stewards Training for your business, organization, or school during Prevent-A-Thon. Click here to indicate your interest and learn more.

Interested in learning more about joining SCAN's Board of Young Professionals for the 26-27 year? Email Sarah Mersereau at smersereau@grscan.com for more information.

Greater Richmond SCAN is one of the charity partners of the Virginia Credit Union River City Half and River City 5k and your involvement is crucial in raising vital funds for us. Please consider getting involved by:

• Registering for the Virginia Credit Union River City Half Marathon or 5k and make a donation to Greater Richmond SCAN when you register.
• Make a donation to Greater Richmond SCAN through the race website here.
• Spread the word on social media, letting others know about your commitment to making a difference.

 SCAN Totally 90s Bash!

Presented by the SCAN Board of Young Professionals

Saturday, May 9, 2026

Mainline Brewery

Dust off your butterfly clips, slap on a bracelet, and get ready to

rewind the clock at SCAN's Totally 90s Bash. Celebrate with a night of nostalgia featuring 90s music, childhood games (think Skip-It and four square),

plus your favorite 90s snacks. Attendees are encouraged to wear their best

90s gear and embrace the throwback vibes.

All proceeds benefit Greater Richmond SCAN, supporting their mission to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect throughout the Greater Richmond area by protecting children, promoting positive parenting, strengthening families, and creating a community that values and cares for its children. Don’t miss this chance to party like it’s 1999 while making a difference!

Save the Date

More details to come.

Interested in hosting a pinwheel garden this April? Email Kasey Johnson at kjohnson@grscan.com to be added to the list.

Suggested donation of $1 per pinwheel.

Upcoming Trainings & Screenings

Find the full list of upcoming SCAN trainings and register to attend HERE

March 3, 2026 | Importance of Building Long-Lasting Relationship on the Road to Self-Sustainability

12-1pm ET via Zoom

 Join Greater Richmond SCAN's Community Engagement Specialist, Tamika Daniel, for an interactive conversation based on her life experience with building the types of relationships that are supportive in accomplishing goals. The conversation will include challenges and barriers to supportive relationships and offer ways to overcome these.

March 4, 2026 | Introduction to Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care

1-3pm ET via Zoom *CEUs Available

This training provides a foundational learning experience around the topics of trauma and trauma-informed care. We will define trauma, discuss the many types of trauma/adversity, explore the impact of trauma on the brain and behavior, introduce resilience, and discuss SAMHSA’s 4 Rs of trauma-informed care. Throughout the presentation, we will share useful tools and techniques.

March 5, 2026 | It Takes a Village: How to Find & Build Your Support System Part 1

12-1pm ET via Zoom

This workshop explores the importance of having a strong, healthy “village” and provides practical tools for building meaningful connections in your life. Participants will reflect on their current relationships, identify what support looks like for them, and learn skills to create and maintain a village that feels safe, supportive, and aligned with their needs. 

March 10, 2026 | Trauma-Informed Technique Tuesday: Behavior Management Planning for Neurodivergent Children & Youth 

3:30-4pm ET via Zoom

This four-part series is designed to provide skills and tools to create a safe and supportive environment for neurodivergent children and youth. This second training in the series will focus on how to create a behavior plan that fits the needs of the child or youth, including some de-escalation strategies to establish safety.

March 11, 2026 | Trauma-Informed Supervision

11-1pm ET via Zoom *CEUs Available

 This training will provide a discussion of six trauma-informed principles and how each can be applied to the practice of supervision. The principles include creating physical & psychological safety, building trust, creating collaborative and empowering spaces, utilizing peer support, and practicing humility & responsiveness. Supervisors will learn about the importance of addressing secondary traumatic stress in themselves as well as those they supervise. 

March 12, 2026 | The Power of Play in Parenting

1-2pm ET via Zoom

Play is the language of children and as parents we can increase our connection with children by joining them in it. Children of all ages experience greater confidence, fewer behavioral issues, and improved mental health when caregivers use the power of play in their daily interactions with them. Learn more about the importance of play and how to incorporate it in your interactions with children in this workshop.

March 16, 2026 | Mindful Monday: Grounding Techniques

3:30-4pm ET via Zoom

Join us in learning how to refocus thinking to the present moment, control anxiety and intrusive thoughts by using grounding exercises that help manage stressors. We will guide you to use the 5-4-3-2-1 physical grounding technique and provide you with tips on mental grounding exercises.

March 18, 2026 | Playing for Keeps (film screening)

2-3:30pm ET via Zoom

Playing for Keeps: The Upside of Downtime examines the value of play through a health lens. We feature high-performing individuals who prioritize play as essential to a happier life. We witness how play is a particularly powerful antidote to those subjected to stress and danger on the job, while highlighting the power of a playful approach to our daily lives, regardless of our circumstance.

Learn more about the film at https://kpjrfilms.co/playing-for-keeps/

March 19, 2026 | It Takes a Village:

How to Find & Build Your Support System Part 2

12-1pm ET via Zoom

This workshop explores the importance of having a strong, healthy “village” and provides practical tools for building meaningful connections in your life. Participants will reflect on their current relationships, identify what support looks like for them, and learn skills to create and maintain a village that feels safe, supportive, and aligned with their needs. 

March 19, 2026 | Impact of Trauma Exposure on Professionals

2-3:30pm ET via Zoom *CEUs Available

This training provides a foundational learning experience around the topics of trauma and trauma-informed care. We will define trauma, discuss the many types of trauma/adversity, explore the impact of trauma on the brain and behavior, introduce resilience, and discuss SAMHSA’s 4 Rs of trauma-informed care. Throughout the presentation, we will share useful tools and techniques.

March 24, 2026 | Trauma-Informed De-Escalation

12-2pm ET via Zoom *CEUs Available

This training will begin by providing an overview of relevant topics related to trauma-informed care that highlight the necessity of providing de-escalation in a trauma-informed way. We will then discuss verbal & non-verbal strategies for regulation and de-escalation of self and others. The training will conclude with time to practice these skills in small groups.

March 24, 2026 | Trauma-Informed Technique Tuesday: Crisis Planning & Language for Neurodivergent Children & Youth 

3:30-4pm ET via Zoom

This four-part series is designed to provide skills and tools to create a safe and supportive environment for neurodivergent children and youth. This third training in the series briefly details the development of a crisis plan, strategies for coping, and remaining safe in a crisis situation. 

Find the full list of SCAN Trainings and register to attend HERE

 *Some of these trainings are eligible for Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) from the National Association of Social Workers. Check SCAN's training page for details.