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Because the Stakes are High, We Go All In
Because the Stakes are High, We Go All In
December 18, 2024
This month, Children’s Cove: the Cape and Islands Child Advocacy Center is pleased to announce we have been awarded re-accreditation by the National Children’s Alliance following an extensive application and site review process.
As the accrediting agency for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) across the country, the National Children’s Alliance (NCA) awards various levels of accreditation and membership to centers responding to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective, efficient, and which put the needs of child victims of abuse first.
With more than 950 CACs in the United States, national accreditation is the highest level of membership with the National Children’s Alliance and denotes an excellence in service provision. This is the fourth consecutive period of national accreditation received by Children’s Cove.
In addition, The National Children’s Alliance offers three additional optional standards which exceed the national mandate, of which Children’s Cove was recognized for meeting two: Prevention of Sexual Abuse, as well as the Standard for Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.
Because of the critical role CACs play in the investigation and response to crimes against children, NCA standards exist to ensure all children served receive consistent, evidence-based services that help them heal from abuse. Approximately every five years standards are updated to reflect the latest evidence and practices. CACs must readjust, realign, and train multidisciplinary partners to ensure all standards are met.
The National Children’s Alliance accredited membership is based on a Child Advocacy Center’s compliance with ten evidence and research-based national standards of accreditation to ensure effective, efficient and consistent delivery of services to child abuse victims. According to these standards, accredited members must utilize a functioning and effective multidisciplinary team approach to work collaboratively in child abuse investigation, prosecution, and treatment.
Accreditation requires more than just the efforts of our own team, but a community of professionals working collaboratively. Together, we create a community free from abuse, supporting children and families in a trauma-informed and evidence-based way.”
The National Children’s Alliance also considers standards regarding a center’s cultural competency and diversity, forensic interviews, victim support and advocacy, medical evaluation, therapeutic intervention, and child focused setting. These standards are analyzed by a team of professionals from NCA through a review of all standards of practice, in-depth site visit, and comprehensive interviews with staff, multidisciplinary partners, and referral partners.
This rigorous process allows our team to analyze, evaluate, discuss, and modify all of our practices on a regular basis to ensure we are meeting the needs of children and families in a timely and relevant manner. The evaluation allows us to think critically about the child-focused work we do to ensure we do not remain stagnant or leave critical issues behind. The stakes are high. We cannot afford to perform short of our very best when working with children who need our support the most. It is our responsibility to go ‘all-in’ for kids.
However, we cannot do this alone. Accreditation requires more than just the efforts of our own team, but a community of professionals working collaboratively. Together, we create a community free from abuse, supporting children and families in a trauma-informed and evidence-based way.
The following organizations have helped us in this achievement, either as an investigative partner, a referral source, a silent supporter, or even in managing the details of the day of the accreditation process:
Aquinnah Police Department, Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe, Barnstable Police Department, Bourne Police Department, Brewster Police Department, Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office, Cape Cod Children’s Place, Chatham Police Department, Chilmark Police Department, Child and Family Services, Dennis Police Department, Department of Children and Families Cape and Islands, The Department of Public Health, Eastham Police Department, Edgartown Police Department, Falmouth Police Department, Family Table Collaborative, Harwich Police Department, Mashpee Police Department, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, The Massachusetts Children’s Alliance, Nantucket Police Department, Oak Bluffs Police Department, Orleans Police Department, Pierce-Cote Advertising, Provincetown Police Department, Sandwich Police Department, Tisbury Police Department, Truro Police Department, Wellfleet Police Department, West Tisbury Police Department, Yarmouth Police Department, VNA Services of Cape Cod.
Thank you all for your dedication and hard work for children. Together we are working toward a community free from abuse, where children’s voices are heard and where they can live healthy and empowered lives.
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Welcome to the Team: Vicki Bice, PNP
Welcome to the Team: Vicki Bice, PNP
December 18, 2024
The team at Children’s Cove is pleased to welcome our new Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Vicki Bice. In October Vicki was hired by The Massachusetts Department of Public Health to train and serve as the region’s PediSANE. Vicki will undergo several months of on-site facilitated training and observation as part of the onboarding process at Children’s Cove.
As the Child Advocacy Center for the Cape and Islands, Children’s Cove coordinates the multidisciplinary response to child victims of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, witness to domestic violence, and commercial sexual exploitation. This includes an investigative component, as well as coordination of community-based services, mental health referrals, and medical care. The specially trained Pediatric SANE nurse provides expert medical care, including the ability to provide or coordinate a medical forensic examination.
After a child has made the brave choice to disclose their abuse, there is often the question, “Is my body ok?”. The PediSANE plays a crucial role in providing reassurance for a child, while attending to discoveries that could aid an investigation. The position is further designed to:
- Provide an onsite visual medical exam in a child-friendly setting
- Ensure the health and safety of child through a non-invasive exam “using a do no harm approach”
- Identify, educate and provide referrals for instances of Sexually Transmitted Infections and/or pregnancy
- To photo-document and collect evidence if indicated.
- Support the child in their wellness.
During the exam, the PediSANE does not:
- Use any invasive tools
- Cause any pain
- Interview the child
- Speculate if anything did or did not happen
All medical exams are completed privately on site and with parental permission. Our PediSANE can act as a liaison and consultant to the child’s pediatrician as well.
Vicki Bice holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Colorado and is certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She has previously served as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Bramblebush Pediatrics in Falmouth, MA., as well as for Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Penn. Vicki’s experience also includes serving as a contracted medical staff member for the United States Air Force in various locations.
Children’s Cove is both happy and fortunate to have Vicki join our team and look forward to her working with other medical providers across our community toward the health and wellness of children receiving support.
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