Quarterly Insights From MACA
| | Welcome to MACA's Quarterly Newsletter! We're excited to share our recent developments, collaborations, and resources that continue to strengthen our mission of protecting and supporting children across Massachusetts. | | March is Self-Injury Awareness Month | | |
In recognition of Self-Injury Awareness Month (SIAM) this March, we are reminded that many young people carry struggles that are not always visible. At the Massachusetts Children’s Alliance (MACA), we know that prevention and healing begin with connection. Self-harm is often a coping response to overwhelming emotions, trauma, or distress, and it thrives in silence. Open, judgment-free conversations help break that silence.
For caregivers and professionals, small moments matter. Checking in regularly, validating feelings, and responding calmly when a young person shares something difficult can create a foundation of trust. Phrases like “I’m really glad you told me” or “You’re not in trouble” reinforce safety and support. When children and teens feel seen and heard, they are more likely to reach out before their pain escalates.
Awareness is only the first step. Ensuring access to trauma-informed mental health services, strengthening protective relationships, and equipping adults with tools to recognize warning signs are critical pieces of prevention. Together, through compassion, education, and early intervention, we can create communities where young people feel supported, understood, and never alone.
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Five-Year Statewide Plan to
Address Sex Trafficking
The Commonwealth’s Five-Year Statewide Plan to Address Sex Trafficking provides a coordinated roadmap to prevent exploitation, strengthen victim identification, and expand survivor-centered services across Massachusetts. Recognizing that commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) intersects with child abuse, homelessness, mental health needs, and systemic inequities, the plan aligns state agencies, law enforcement, healthcare providers, schools, and community organizations around a shared strategy to better protect vulnerable youth.
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Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll addressing the release of the
Five-Year Statewide Plan to Address Sex Trafficking
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The Massachusetts Children’s Alliance (MACA) and its network of Children’s Advocacy Centers play a central role in this effort. Through multidisciplinary coordination, trauma-informed forensic interviews, specialized mental health services, and cross-system training, CACs help ensure that exploited youth are identified as victims and connected to comprehensive care. Together, this statewide collaboration strengthens accountability, improves access to healing services, and reinforces a unified commitment to protecting children across the Commonwealth.
Notably, Outcome 4, Action Step C of the plan calls for the continued MACA-led implementation of CSEC Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Core Standards, reinforcing the importance of consistent, high-quality coordination statewide.
To read the full statewide plan, click here.
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MACA's Annual Statewide Conference
This year's 16th Annual Statewide Conference, Healing, Hope and Justice: An Advanced Conversation, will be an all-day in-person event on May 7, 2026.
This conference serves hundreds of professionals across multiple disciplines, including victim advocates, law enforcement, mental health providers, medical professionals, and child welfare workers. Our various different workshops provide the advanced knowledge and practical tools needed to better serve vulnerable children across the Commonwealth.
Our conference will feature Keynote Speaker Stephanie Block, PhD. Dr. Block, an Associate Professor at UMass Lowell, is a renowned expert in child trauma and maltreatment whose research informs child welfare and legal policy. The conference will also offer interactive workshops on crucial topics such as engaging underserved youth, supporting child victims and their caregivers, addressing the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and responding to online entrapment.
Interested in joining us as a partner for our annual conference? Feel free to reach out to our Executive Director, Tom King, to discuss a sponsorship level that aligns with your goals. He can be reached by email at tking@machildrensalliance.org.
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View Our Annual Report
This year’s report reflects incredible progress across our statewide network, highlighting innovations in trauma-informed care, advancements in data and training, and the unwavering commitment of Massachusetts’ 12 Children’s Advocacy Centers to improving outcomes for children and families impacted by abuse.
We’re so grateful to our partners, funders, and multidisciplinary teams who make this work possible. Together, we are building a stronger, more responsive system of care across the Commonwealth.
Click here to read our annual report.
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If you are interested in hearing about future training opportunities or any legislative alerts on behalf of MACA, hit the subscribe button below or visit:
machildrensalliance.org/subscribe.
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Our mission is to pioneer the most promising, leading-edge ways that help victims of child abuse
To donate to our mission-driven work, click here.
Your support will:
- Ensure services for the nearly 7,000 children served annually.
- Promote a trauma-informed response for children affected by physical and sexual abuse.
- Provide the latest, most advanced trainings to professionals.
- Advocate for child victims at the state and federal level.
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MASSACHUSETTS CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE
11 Beacon Street, Suite 321
Boston, MA 02108
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