Save the Date:
May 23, 2012 Marlborough, MA
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: Identification & Response April 3rd, 2012 Annual Road Race April 22nd, 2012
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 Quick Links
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Our Mission
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The mission of the Massachusetts Children's Alliance is a membership organization that promotes an integrated, multidisciplinary team response to child abuse. We are committed to strengthening collaboration and fostering systemic and societal change to protect children. Through support of member organizations, the Chapter ensures that children and their families have access to high quality, comprehensive, specialized and culturally competent services of a Children's Advocacy Center.
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Support MACA!
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Click on the DONATE button to send your on-line donation, or mail us a check at the address below!
14 Beacon St.
Suite 421
Boston, MA
02108
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As winter ends, the work of the Massachusetts Children's Alliance and Children's Advocacy Centers is ongoing. Here's an update on the work done this winter, and what's coming up this spring. Be sure to scroll down all the way down,
there's been a lot going on!
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Federal Funding Alert:
We need your help to SAVE Victims of Child Abuse Act Funding
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The Federal Victims of Child Abuse Act provides critical federal funding to MACA and CACs throughout the state. We need all of our federal delegation to join Senator Kerry and Congressmen Keating, Tierney, McGovern, Frank & Capuano in their support of this Act.
What can I do? Contact your U.S. Representative What should I say? Ask your Representatives to sign on to the Rep. Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Rep. Davis (D-IL) HOUSE "Dear Colleague" letter in support of funding the Victims of Child Abuse Act at $20 million for FY'13. Click here to see a copy of the letter. What else should I say? See these talking points. Contact MACA to let us know you've reached out to your U.S. Rep. Email us at maca@machildrensalliance.org
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THANK YOU
to MACA's generous supporters!
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Thank you to all who generously donated to the Massachusetts Children's Alliance Holiday campaign and to our friends at Ropes and Gray, LLP and ML Strategies, LLC who provide us with their expertise pro bono.
We couldn't do it without you!
Check out our Buddy Board here for a list of our wonderful supporters
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CAC Spotlight:
What's Going on at CACs in Massachusetts
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> In November, representatives from the Plymouth County Children's Advocacy Center were featured speakers for the first of three Plymouth County Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Roundtable forums. As a result of their year-long campaign to raise awareness in Plymouth County, over 1,200 community professionals have been trained on mandated reporting and the signs and symptoms of child abuse. The CAC also held their Annual Holiday Concert at Brockton High School.
> Earlier this winter, illustrator Kathryn Brown, along
with several other artists, painted murals on the walls of the Northwestern District Attorney's Children's Advocacy Center, in waiting room, interview room and the medical exam room. Read more and see the murals here. Also, click
here to see their new website.
> Suffolk County Children's Advocacy Center launched the Hope Blooms fundraiser on November 10th. Volunteers planted 1,122 crocus bulbs on the Greenway, and in April, for child abuse awareness month, the flowers will bloom and represent the children helped at the Suffolk CAC this year. Click here to read the remarks by DA Conley.
> The Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County and Norfolk Advocates for Children both received competitive grants from NCA to enhance mental health services for child victims. The Berkshire County Kids' Place also received an NCA competitive grant to enhance culturally competent services. Congratulations to all!
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Newsflash:
CACs and Child Abuse in the News
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> Child abuse has received a lot of recent attention from the media. Though the reasons for the sudden interest are regrettable, the media coverage gives advocates and activists a platform to deliver their message on. The One With Courage campaign, created by the National Children's Alliance and the Children's Advocacy Center of Texas, launched a website informs adults on how to spot signs of abuse and debunks commonly held beliefs about abuse. Read the 9 Myths of Child Abuse. Watch for MACA's launch of "One with Courage" in April!
> Tom King, Executive Director of Massachusetts Children's Alliance, and Christa Collier, Program Director of Berkshire County Kids' Place worked collaboratively on an op-ed addressing the recent media buzz around child abuse. Click here to read the article.
> On December 13th, a US Senate hearing discussed what could be done to prevent the silence of adults who know of occurring abuse. Listen to NPR's coverage along with some clips from the panelists, and watch the full hearing and read testimony here.
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Save the Date:
Upcoming Events
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> MOVA, (Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance), will hold their 2012 Victim's Rights Event on April 11th. For more information, click here. > MACA will hold our Second Annual Conference, Healing, Hope and Justice: The Advanced Conversation on May 23, 2012! Registration will open April 1st. Workshop topics to include:
- Medical examination of the child sexual assault victim: information for investigators and treatment providers
- Forensic interviewing children with Autism
- Multi-generational childhood sexual abuse victimization
- Extended forensic interviews
- Latest research on CACs
- MDT response to serious physical abuse: Case Example
- Anti-Human Trafficking & Safe Harbor Legislation
CEUs for Social Workers and LMHC pending. This activity has been submitted to the Ohio Nurses Association (OBN-001-91) for approval to award contact hours. The Ohio Nurses Associations is accredited as an approver of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. To receive nursing contact hours, participants must be present for the entire training and complete/submit an evaluation form.
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