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History
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In the
summer of 2001 Dr. Diane Hodge and Rana Duncan-Daston,
from Radford University School of Social Work, met with
administrators of agencies involved in the investigation
and prosecution of child abuse and severe neglect cases
in the New River Valley to discuss their interest in
developing a CAC. Meetings were also held with the
Radford University departments of nursing, psychology,
criminal justice, and education. This idea was well
received and a kick off event was held in October 2001.
Following this event a task force formed, meeting every
6 to 8 weeks, to develop the NRV-CAC. The task force was
made up of stakeholders from the prosecutors’ office,
child protective services, law enforcement, medical,
domestic violence, mental health, and child abuse
prevention and advocacy agencies/programs in the NRV.
Faculty from social work, psychology, criminal justice,
and nursing are also representatives on the task force.
Radford University’s partnership with Pulaski,
Montgomery, Floyd, and Giles Counties and Radford City
in developing a CAC is unique in its scope. There are
only two other universities in the nation that are
connected with a CAC, both of these programs serve one
jurisdiction and are located in urban cities.
During
subsequent multidisciplinary team meetings held in 2002
five major topics were discussed: vision, structure,
cooperation, student integration, and curriculum models
for learning. The accomplishments of the Task Force
included letters of intent signed by all participating
community agencies; a vision and mission statement
developed; goals and objectives written; needs
assessment completed; standing sub-committees were
formed: funding, governance, training, and site;
protocol, memorandum of agreement, and articles of
incorporation drafted; grants submitted; CAC Coordinator
job description developed; training needs identified and
scheduled; site chosen, renovations and remodeling
beginning; and database conceptualized.
The next steps included developing
a historical timeline of accomplishments; scheduled
meeting with the School of Nursing to discuss how the
family nurse practitioner can be used to perform
forensic medical examinations; plans to hire a forensic
interviewer; creating a regional structure that respects
and enhances the current MDTs structure; identifying
experiential opportunities for students to learn models
of best practice with families and children experiencing
child abuse and severe neglect; and identifying
community needs that can be met by the CAC, continuing
to honor the initial commitment of this project not to
duplicate other services available to abused and
neglected children and their families in the NRV. A
Coordinator was hired in 2003, and the CAC, located on
campus in Waldron Hall, opened in October, 2003.
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"We
will have met success when every child has access to the services of an
accredited Children's Advocacy Center".
