1st Quarter Newsletter
September 30, 2022
About the Florida Network of Children's Advocacy Centers
Accredited by National Children's Alliance (NCA) as the State Chapter of Florida, the Florida Network of Children's Advocacy Centers (FNCAC) is a membership organization representing the 28 Child Advocacy Centers (CAC) throughout Florida.
CACs are child-focused centers that coordinate the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse and neglect while helping abused children heal. CACs emphasize the coordination of investigation and intervention services by bringing together a multidisciplinary team to create a child-focused approach to child abuse and neglect cases. CACs are effective, hold offenders accountable, help child victims heal, and promote best practice by all of our MDT Partners.
In addition, the FNCAC and CACs are tasked with providing technical assistance, training, education and prevention outreach to members of their local communities.
Together, the CAC Movement in Florida is positively impacting victim services to child victims throughout the state and improving outcomes for kids and their families.
What is a Children's Advocacy Center?
A Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) is a child-focused, facility-based program in which representatives from core disciplines collaborate to investigate child abuse reports, conduct forensic interviews, determine and provide evidence-based interventions, and assess cases for prosecution.
Pictured here, Kaliyah Marsh, and her cousin, Aiden , drove with their grandmother, Joannie Brown, from Nebraska to attend the Krimes Against Kids conference. Kaliyah won a raffle basket. She played and read books all the way home. Kaliyah is a member of the Winnebago Tribe and learned a lot at the conference! Twelve participants from the Winnebago community attended the conference.

"A tisket, a tasket, a well-read and yellow KAK raffle basket!"


Kaliyah says, "Let's attend the 2023 Krimes Against Kids Conference at the Wyndham Grand Resort Bonnet Creek, July 26-28, 2023 in Orlando next year, Grandma!"
2022 Krimes Against Kids Conference keynote speaker, Dr. Brian Miller, author of Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress: Skills for Sustaining a Career in the Helping Professions and Cindy Vallely, FNCAC Executive Director.









Luzed Cruz, FNCAC Statewide Program Administrator, Mickey Mouse, Cindy Valley, FNCAC Executive Director, and Michèle 
Vaught, FNCAC Finance Director.
Members of FNCAC's Membership Committee at this year's Krimes Against Kids Conference.
Julie Boudreaux, Southwest Florida,
Sherry Kitchens, CAC, Inc (Alachua), &
David Acevedo, CHS - Greater Lakeland
Robert Peters, Esq. Senior Attorney, and Kathleen Nolan from Zero Abuse Project delivering a full day of interactive training on Crime Scene and Online Child Exploitation Investigations.
The Crime Scene! Jackie Stephens, FNCAC Board President, capturing evidence of her crime scene construction work!
The crime scene investigation team gathering the evidence.
Member Spotlight:
Child Protection Center, Sarasota
Michelle McSwain, Director of the Child Protection Center Personal Safety and Community Awareness Program.




One of our accredited members received a key grant that will help them continue to provide their community much needed internet safety lessons to protect children susceptible to abuse online. The Child Protection Center has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the William and Harriet Sturdevant Memorial Charitable Trust for ongoing support of its Personal Safety and Community Awareness program.
Statistically, 1 in 3 children online will be contacted by someone they don’t know, which in turn creates an opening for unsafe conversations and behaviors to occur.

“Teaching children internet safety skills is vital to their growth and development, and to ensure they know what to do if they come across something that makes them feel uncomfortable online,” said Michelle McSwain, PSCA program director. “The internet has opened a whole new arena for perpetrators, and it’s our job to educate our community on how to spot red flags and feel equipped to tackle the issue head on.”
Member Spotlight:
Children's Advocacy Center of Brevard
 The Children’s Advocacy Center of Brevard (CACB) implemented Problematic Sexual Behaviors-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Modality PSB-CBT. In 2021, the National Children’s Alliance provided the CACB with a grant to cover the costs of three of CACB mental health therapist and the CACB Director, Jeanie Raciti, to go through the training. Christina, Sarah, and Jessica each met fidelity with their clients and are now certified. Jeanie completed the administration portion of the training. As of July 1, 2022, the Children's Advocacy Center of Brevard is now a certified to provide this therapeutic modality to children between the ages of seven and twelve who are exhibiting sexualized behaviors. As of July, eight children have successfully graduated from the PSB-CBT modality.
Agent Jeffrey Colon and Bolt
The Children's Advocacy Center of Brevard partners with the Brevard County Sheriff’s office in providing therapy canine services to the children at the CAC. We have been waiting several months for our therapy canine and handler to get through the training and certification. Agent Jeffrey Colon and his therapy canine Bolt begin providing services at our center in September.
 
Bolt is a male Labrador retriever who is just over a year old. Bolt was in the Brevard County humane society as a stray and was picked to go through the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office PAWS program.
 
Why does the CACB like having a dog around?
 
Numerous studies show that dogs are efficient at elevating mood and providing relaxation to humans, making them a perfect companion to hang around. They have also proven to be helpful in treating people with anxiety. This is one of the key reasons therapy dogs are among the most common therapy animals.
 
It's believed that looking into the dog’s eyes boosts the production of dopamine and other neurochemicals in our body. These neurochemicals are known as natural antidepressants that promote calmness. This not only makes one compassionate about others but also tend to curb depression.
Distraction Machines Help Children Relax
Distraction machines were developed to help soothe and distract pediatric patients with sensory processing disorders as the colorful, bubbling column contains balls and beads. It also projects images for the children to see on the ceiling and walls. Florida’s Emerald Coast CAC, at the request of their local Department of Children and Families office, purchased a distraction machine to be used during children’s medical exams. Having received a lot of positive feedback about the effects the machine had on the children at the CAC, the Chapter was able to purchase distraction machines for two more CACs. Read more about the impact these machines are having on our kids when they are being seen at their local CAC.
The Children’s Advocacy Center of Brevard was fortunate to received extra funding through the FNCAC to purchase a distraction machine for our center. We are grateful and thankful that we can provide yet another tool to help reduce the anxiety of our victims as well as our staff. Thank you FNCAC for your ongoing support and always thinking of Florida’s CACs needs.
 
This has been an amazing tool to not only calm the children, but it reduces their anxiety prior to their forensic interview, medical exams, or even preparing for trial. Some of the comments our children have made
 “I love the colors. they make me smile” “It looks like fireworks. ” A child that the ACB has been working with for a huge federal trial who was initially avoidant with the team, used the machine and she became calm and was so mesmerized opened up and worked well in the trial prep. Now the machine is used weekly with her as she moves closer to the impending trial.
 
Nine year old L.A., who has experienced too much trauma or his young age, and who is possibly on the spectrum, smiled the whole time he played with the machine and especially loved the fiber optics. It was nice to see his facial response commented the therapist. It was further noted that this child is extremely reluctant to engage and after some time with the machine, was calmer and engages more in treatment.
 
Six year old A.R showed much interest and correctly identified various types of whales as she watched the projector. Smart kid! 
The CACB Director used the machine and the calming relaxing music with the projector in an all staff meetings soon after we got the machine. I did not think I would get anyone back to work. Everyone was calm and relaxed and walked out the meeting more relaxed. We make a point to have this going while staff are coming into the all staff meetings, and then once the meeting starts we put the music on very low but keep the projector on. Very calming and relaxing for all!
Collaboration is Key
The Florida Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (FNCAC) collaborates with many partners to bring the best possible results for children and families served by the 28 Children’s Advocacy Centers in Florida, including
 
Zero Abuse Project– FNCAC is working with the Zero Abuse Project to bring Child Advocacy Studies training to Florida colleges and universities. The University of South Florida started a CAST certificate program this Fall, 2022, which encompasses allied health, criminology, and social work graduate programs. Florida State University has agreed to become a fully accredited CAST program. Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University School of Social Work professors completed the Project FORECAST training and they are integrating it into their social work curriculum. Florida Institute of Technology was the only CAST program in Florida compared to 28 programs in Mississippi. CAST prepares the workforce of the future to perform child welfare services with problem-based learning simulations (PBL-S) training to deliver competent, confident, and well-prepared graduates. 

FNCAC will highlight our collaborative efforts in each issue of the Newsletter to keep you informed of our work with our many partners.