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Carol Neal Rossi, former Director of PCA Georgia Issues Consulting, LLC

Carol Neal Rossi, former Director of PCA Georgia Issues Consulting, LLC. 1-800-CHILDREN helpline. What we’ll cover today: Mandated Reporters DFCS call center 1-855-GA-CHILD 1-800-CHILDREN helpline PCA Georgia’s Prevention Network, Councils W orking T ogether for Prevention.

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Carol Neal Rossi, former Director of PCA Georgia Issues Consulting, LLC

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  1. Carol Neal Rossi, former Director of PCA Georgia Issues Consulting, LLC

  2. 1-800-CHILDREN helpline What we’ll cover today: Mandated Reporters DFCS call center 1-855-GA-CHILD 1-800-CHILDREN helpline PCA Georgia’s Prevention Network, Councils Working Together for Prevention

  3. Impact of Child Maltreatment Juvenile Crime School Drop Out Sexual Violence Foster Care Domestic Violence Court Alcohol and Drug Use U.S. Child Abuse and Neglect 3 million reports Child Protection Mental Health Gang Violence Long-Term Health Issues Emergency Room Loss of Wages $104 Billion Annually Source: PCA America cost study Teen Pregnancy

  4. What is Child Abuse? • Georgia law defines “child abuse” as: • Physical injury or death inflicted upon a child by a parent or caretaker by other than accidental means • Physical forms of discipline (corporal punishment) may be used as long as there is no physical injury to the child; • Neglect or exploitation of a child by a parent or caretaker; • Sexual abuse of a child; • Does not include consensual sex acts between minors or between a minor and an adult who is not more than 5 years older than the minor • Sexual exploitation of a child

  5. Disclosure • Mandated reporters are NOT investigators • When a Child Discloses Maltreatment: • Respect the child’s need for confidentiality / Find a private place to talk; • Provide reassurance and avoid value judgments • Listen openly, calmly, with minimal interruptions • Write down the facts and words as reported to you, in the child’s own words • Do not try to get all of the details • Minimize the number of questions you ask • Avoid the use of leading questions • Report the disclosure

  6. Mandated Reporters • Georgia law generally requires those who work with families or who come in contact with children to report suspected child maltreatment • Designated professionals: • Physicians, interns or residents; • Hospital or medical personnel; • Dentists; • Licensed psychologists and interns; • Podiatrists; • RPNs and LPNs; • Professional counselors, social workers, or marriage and family therapists; • School teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, visiting teachers, social workers, or psychologists; • Child welfare agency personnel; • Child-counseling personnel; • Child service organization personnel; • Law enforcement personnel: • Reproductive health care facility or pregnancy resource center personnel and volunteers

  7. Mandated Reporters, updated • Expanded list (eff. July 1, 2012): • “Child service organization personnel means: persons employed by or volunteering at a business or an organization, whether public, private, for profit, not for profit, or voluntary, that provides care, treatment, education, training, supervision, coaching, counseling, recreational programs, or shelter to children • “Clergy” means: ministers, priests, rabbis, imams, or similar functionaries, by whatever name called, of a bona fide religious organization • Confession exception: a member of the clergy shall not be required to report child abuse reported solely within the context of confession or other similar communication required to be kept confidential under church doctrine or practice. When a clergy member receives information about child abuse from any other source, the clergy member shall comply with the reporting requirements of this Code section, even though the clergy member may have also received a report of child abuse from the confession of the perpetrator”

  8. How to Report – 1-855-GA-CHILD • A report must be made within 24 hours by phone or via email to the centralized DFCS office • 1-855-GA CHILD (422-4453) • cpsintake@dhr.state.ga.us (must fill out mandated reporter form and submit via email) • If unable to reach DFCS, or if the child is in immediate danger, report to local law enforcement (911) or district attorney in the county where the child lives • Comply with any internal workplace protocols

  9. What to Report (fill out form) • Reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused • Suspicions, not necessarily direct evidence • Make the report even if you do not have all the information • Name, age, address and current location of child • Name and address of child’s parents or caretakers, if known • Name and address of suspected perpetrator • Location where maltreatment took place, if known • The nature and extent of the child’s injuries • Any other information the reporter believes might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injuries and the identity of the perpetrator

  10. Rights of Mandated Reporters • Anonymity or confidentiality • Knowledge of the outcome onlyof a report • Immunity for “good faith” report • Penalty for NOT reporting: • Any person or official required by Georgia law to report suspected cases of child maltreatment and who knowingly and willfully fails to do so shall be guilty of a misdemeanor

  11. From Referral to Removal How it Works Child Abuse in the Community Not Reported to DFCS Reported to DFCS Investigated Family Support Substantiated Unsubstantiated Removed to FC Not Removed to FC

  12. What to do if family needs help?

  13. 1-800-CHILDREN, helpline from PCA Georgia The helpline supports families and parents and connects them with appropriate resources in their community. It offers information about child abuse, family violence, counseling and support groups. • Toll-free • Open Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm • Staffed by professionals • Bilingual (Spanish/English) • Source of information and support • A safe place to discuss options

  14. Helpline is NOT: • A crisis line • A function of DFCS • Where you report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect • Those calls should go to 911 or to 1-855-GA-CHILD

  15. The Helpline Serves: • Parents • Grandparents • Foster Parents • Survivors of Abuse • Youth • Friends or Relatives • Crime Victims • Faith Communities • Professionals • Individuals from all socio-economic levels living in urban, suburban and rural communities in Georgia

  16. Why People Call: • Parenting support • Counseling and support groups • Referrals for legal needs • Grandparent issues • Child abuse and prevention information • Concern about well-being of a child or family member • Family violence concerns • Community resources for emergency assistance • Resources for special needs children

  17. PCA Georgia’s Mission To prevent the abuse and neglect of Georgia’s children. (Includes all forms of abuse and neglect, whether physical, sexual, educational or emotional.)

  18. Our Core Values: • Valuing Children • Strengthening Families • Engaging Communities • Every 30 minutes, a child is abused or neglected in Georgia. • 83 children lost their lives to maltreatment in 2012.

  19. PCA Georgia Guiding Factors: Focus on primary and secondary prevention strategies. Guide, support and educate professionals who work with children and families throughout Georgia, rather than providing direct services.

  20. PCA Georgia provides statewide direction through: • Prevention Network • Public Awareness • Prevention Programs • Research • Advocacy • 1-800-CHILDREN helpline

  21. Prevention Network Building a statewide network of individuals, families, agencies and communities dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect in all its forms.

  22. PCA Georgia Councils 2014 • PCA Athens • PCA Augusta • PCA Bartow (Advocates for Children) • PCA Coweta • PCA Gordon • PCA Grady • PCA Habersham • PCA Henry • PCA Houston (Rainbow House Children’s Resource Center) • PCA Pickens • PCA Pike (Strengthening Families Alliance of Pike County) • PCA Rockdale • PCA Spalding (Spalding County Collaborative Authority for Families and Children) • PCA Whitfield (Family Support Council, Inc.) • Southwest Georgia Children’s Alliance – Ben Hill, Crisp, Dooly, Lee, Macon, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell, Wilcox and Webster. (SOWEGA CASA, LightHouse Children’s Advocacy Center, Southwestern Judicial Circuit Truancy Intervention, Sumter FCP.)

  23. Public Awareness Increasing public awareness about child abuse and neglect prevention through training and education, information dissemination, and statewide events.

  24. Prevention Programs Encouraging the development and implementation of innovative prevention programs using evidence-based models.

  25. Research Disseminating academic and community-based research to guide the development of policies, programs and services which will enhance the health and well-being of Georgia’s children and their families.

  26. Advocacy Activities Informing public policy, programs, and practices that strengthen families and protect children by regularly imparting information regarding child abuse prevention research, initiatives, and best practices.

  27. Source: The Prevention Institute, www.preventioninstitute.org

  28. What can we do to help? • Help Strengthen Families in your Community • Increasing Protective Factors Decreases Risk Factors

  29. Parental/Family Risk Factors • Parental/Caregiver Immaturity • Unrealistic Expectations • Social Isolation • Unmet Emotional Needs • Frequent Crisis • Poor Childhood Experiences • Drugs/Alcohol Problems • Mental Illness • Poor Family Boundaries • Dangerous Home Environment

  30. What are the Protective Factors? • Parental Resilience • Social Connections • Knowledge of Child Development • Concrete Support in Times of Need • Social and Emotional Competence of Children

  31. Seven Program Strategies • Facilitate Friendships and Mutual Support • Strengthen Parenting • Respond to Family Crisis • Link Families to Services and Opportunities • Value and Support Parents • Facilitate Children’s Social and Emotional Development • Observe and Respond to Early Warning Signs of Abuse and Neglect

  32. What more can you do? • Advocate for programs and policies that protect children and support families. Join Voices for Georgia’s Children to learn more. • www.georgiavoices.org • Be part of the Prevention Network by participating in PCA Georgia activities. • www.preventchildabusega.org – Subscribe to the monthly newsletter, learn about activities, regional meetings, webinars and other events. • Attend the PCA Georgia Statewide Conference on Sept. 11, 2014 at Atlanta Marriott, Century Center. • Provide us with information regarding agencies, programs and resources in your community that should be included in the 1-800-CHILDREN helpline data base.

  33. Source: The Prevention Institute, www.preventioninstitute.org

  34. Other Resources • Prevent Child Abuse Georgia www.preventchildabusega.org (Link to GOCF Mandated Reporter Training) • Strengthening Families Protective Factors: http://www.cssp.org/reform/strengthening-families/the-basics/protective-factors • Child Welfare Gateway: www.childwelfare.gov • Prevent Child Abuse America http://www.preventchildabuse.org

  35. Prevent Child Abuse Georgia 34 Peachtree Street, Suite 1700 Atlanta, GA 30303 Julia Neighbors, Director jneighbors@gsu.edu (404) 413-1419 www.preventchildabusega.org cnealrossi@gmail.com (770) 318-0116

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