Child Abuse Prevention Regional Networks
Comprised of four
regional networks, The Alaska Child Abuse Prevention Network is a statewide
effort designed to increased the involvement and participation of family support
programs, parents and community leaders in meeting the challenge of child abuse
prevention.
The Network has reached out to over 800 interested community
partners across Alaska, offering prevention information through regional
teleconferences, newsletters and resource mailings.
Each regional network
also serves as a clearinghouse for information, education and prevention
resources. A co-sponsor of April 2000: Child Abuse Prevention Month in Alaska,
the Network will be distributing Community Resource and Parenting Kits to
promote local prevention efforts.
Alaska C.A.R.E.S. is an outpatient
clinic located near Providence Alaska Medical Center. C.A.R.E.S. provide sexual
abuse evaluation services for children, newborn to age 18. Alaska C.A.R.E.S. is
open from 8:00-5:00 PM but provides 24 hour on-call services to cases that are
considered emergent. These cases usually come to the attention of law
enforcement or the emergency departments of local hospitals.
Children's
Advocacy Center
Alaska C.A.R.E.S. is a Children's Advocacy Center, a
member of the National Children's Alliance, which is the governing body for
Children's Advocacy Centers across the United States. A Children's Advocacy
Center (CAC) is a comprehensive, child-centered program, based in a facility
that allows law enforcement, child protection professionals, prosecutors, mental
health professionals, victim advocacy and the medical community to
work together to handle child abuse cases. The over-arching goal of all CACs is
to make sure that children are not further victimized by systems designed to
protect them.
Alaska C.A.R.E.S. is very proud of the services it
provides to children and families of Alaska. Children are able to come to one
location to be interviewed and have a physical evaluation. Interviewers are
trained in forensic interviewing of children and are able to put the child at
ease when discussing sensitive topics. Nurse Practitioners with special training
are skilled in providing non-invasive colposcopic physical evaluations.
Conferencing services provided by Alaska C.A.R.E.S. ensures that decisions are
made as a team and include the family. A victim advocate from STAR (Standing
Together Against Rape) is available to provide support to the child and family
while at Alaska C.A.R.E.S. Crisis intervention is done by the Family Care
Coordinator to help them through the upheaval that often accompanies child
sexual abuse. Referrals are given to the family so that children and families
can be connected to services to help the healing process begin. Alaska
C.A.R.E.S. also provides training to those in the community who would like to
learn more about child sexual abuse or our services.