Brief Overview: Cases of child abuse involving a teenage victim presents its own unique challenges for prosecution. Understanding adolescent brain development is important for forensic interviewers as well as investigators and prosecutors. Preparing the case requires not only thorough investigation but thoughtful communication with a teen victim to obtain the facts of the crime and provide essential information about the prosecutor’s role and judicial process. This approach will facilitate building a strong criminal case for prosecution. Expert Presenter: Beth Merachnik, JD, serves as the Deputy Director of the Association of Prosecuting Attorney’s (APA) Child Abuse Prosecution Project. She is the…

Brief Overview: Language access encompasses a comprehensive framework of knowledge and practices that remove barriers and ensures meaningful access and effective communication. In this workshop participants will learn why language access matters and how it is connected to the comprehensive provision of victim services. Participants will discuss the importance of removing language barriers and examine what effective language access looks like within a CAC setting. Participants will learn how to design and implement a smooth process for providing language access throughout a CAC/MDT response to child victimization. Expert Presenter: Greg Flett, MSW, has over fifteen years of experience working with…

Brief Overview: Reflective supervision is the exploration of the way in which the work that practitioners do every day effects them. Spending time in a very specific type of supervision within the context of a CAC, may reduce secondary traumatic stress and improve the resiliency of the workforce. Additionally, by being more consciously aware of the ways that work in child abuse may illicit strong feelings in providers, providers can continue to do their best work. Expert Presenter: Saprina Matheny, MSW, LICSW completed her Masters degree in Social Work at the University of St. Thomas/College of St. Catherine. She has…