Over 2,000 Children Referred to CAC in 2019
We're Growing to Meet the Unprecedented Need for Services
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With a little over a week left in 2019, 2,032 children impacted by violence, abuse and exploitation have been referred to the Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County for support and services this year.
While the number of referrals continues to rise, we are grateful to be expanding our staff and programs to ensure that every child who needs us has access to the help that they deserve. Through community and grant support, our mental health team now includes six master's level clinicians - four of whom are bi-lingual English/ Spanish - and our Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) and Support to End Exploitation Now (SEEN) programs continue to expand and strengthen partnerships to meet the growing needs of our community.
Please welcome new staff who joined the CAC team in 2019: MDT Coordinators/ Forensic Interviewers
Caddy Tootell
, MSW, LCSW and
Danielle Fleishman
, MSW, LCSW; Family Advocate
Steven Maga
ñ
a
, MSW; Program Coordinator
Mary Mitchum Grant
; and Operations Manager
Lakeisha Clayton
.
Click
here
to m
eet our full team and learn more about the CAC!
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5th Annual
Step Up & Speak Out
Benefit Raises Record $315,000 for Children & Families
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On October 17, we came together at the Mandarin Oriental to
Step Up & Speak Out
in support of children and families impacted by abuse.
We were inspired and moved by all who brought their voices to the evening. The energy & commitment in the room were palpable!
THANK YOU to our honorees,
Bob Rivers
and
Jay Bisognano
; honorary co-chairs
Mayor Marty Walsh
and
District Attorney Rachael Rollins
; event co-chairs
Anne Hajjar
and
Mike Fish
; our host committee; our sponsors; and all who worked tirelessly to help us raise over
$315,000
for children & families in Suffolk County!
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Addressing Trends in
Youth Sexting Behaviors
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Now more than ever, young people face significant social pressure to send and receive sexually explicit images. We are thrilled to offer a new workshop,
Navigating Relationships and Technology
, for youth ages 11-16 and their parents. Participants learn about healthy relationships and boundary setting, the risks of "sexting," and navigating the social and emotional impact when images are shared without consent. The workshop also provides resources and guidance on reporting online abuse and exploitation.
S
Contact
Mary Beth Dawson
at
marybeth.dawson@state.ma.us
or 617-304-5652 to schedule this free workshop at your child's school, after-school program, or other forum today! You can also read more about online safety
on our website
.
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CAC Parent Workshops Now Offered in
English, Spanish, and Chinese!
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In 2019, we launched a new parent workshop called
Parenting Safe Children
and have offered it 13 times to 124 people throughout Suffolk County! Participants learn how to talk with children about body safety, minimize risk of child sexual abuse, identify adult grooming behaviors, spot signs of sexual abuse, and respond to suspected abuse.
Our next workshop will be offered in Cantonese at the
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Cultural Center
on
January 17
th
from 10 AM – 12 PM
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Interested in scheduling one of these free workshops in your community?
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Expanding Services for Youth with Problematic Sexual Behaviors
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Sharman Nathanson, Director of Mental Health & Advocacy
, traveled to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in November to complete the Within Agency Trainer certification for
Problematic Sexual Behavior Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT
)
, allowing her to certify new and additional CAC clinicians to offer this on-site, evidence-based intervention for children with problematic sexual behaviors. In 2019 alone, we received over 450 referrals for children with problematic sexual behaviors, and look forward to offering expanded PSB-CBT services free of charge to our clients in 2020.
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Did you know?
Nationally, about 1 in 4 cases referred to CACs are for youth or children under age 18 who have acted out against another child. In a 10-year follow-up study, youth who completed PSB-CBT had only a 2% recidivism rate. Most children with problematic sexual behaviors do not continue the behavior into adolescence and adulthood.
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SAVE THE DATE!
7th Annual
Ginormous Climb
Saturday, April 4, 2020
Will we see
YOU
at the top?
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The Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County (CAC) unites public, private, and community partners to promote safety, healing, and justice for child victims and their families.
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