National Children's Alliance

National Children's Alliance National Children’s Alliance makes a difference, one child and voice at a time.

National Children’s Alliance, or NCA, is a professional membership organization on a mission to make one big difference, one child at a time. Reaching everyone with a voice in eradicating abuse—from families, advocates, team members, communities, and all the way to Capitol Hill, its members power a national movement to keep children safe. As a not-for-profit membership and accrediting organization

providing comprehensive care through hundreds of Children’s Advocacy Centers nationwide, we unify and amplify our voices to command better outcomes. Featuring the largest network of care centers supporting child abuse victims in the country, NCA is a model in outcome-driven collaboration. Delivering everything from leadership and educational opportunities to resources and connections, the organization inspires members, referrers, and futures. By amplifying a single-minded voice in order to help local communities put the needs of victims first, NCA is the beginning of child abuse’s end.

Clinicians, light up your tool belt by taking part in our Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (AF-...
07/02/2024

Clinicians, light up your tool belt by taking part in our Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT) virtual training later this month led by NCA Institute for Better Mental Health Outcomes National Trainer for Mental Health Programs Ashley Fiore, MSW, LCSW! This 4-day training includes 12 consultation calls, and great, useful resources at your fingertips. It also has been approved for 14 continuing education credits through NASW and NBCC. There are just a few spots left, so register now!

AF-CBT is a trauma-informed evidence-based intervention to improve family relationships for those experiencing high conflict/coercion, harsh/punitive discipline, child physical abuse, and/or child behavior problems.

Learn more and register: https://learn.nationalchildrensalliance.org/products/alternatives-for-families-a-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-af-cbt-virtual-training-july-2024

🚨Hey Children's Advocacy Centers, BREAKING NEWS! We have just released our annual requests for proposals (RFPs) for comp...
07/01/2024

🚨Hey Children's Advocacy Centers, BREAKING NEWS! We have just released our annual requests for proposals (RFPs) for competitive grant funding for the 2025 grant year! We'll be administering more than $22 million in federal funds for the establishment, improvement and expansion of CACs! Applications are due no later than August 2, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. We recommend you start your applications now and get ahead!

Learn more, get the full list of RFPs to confirm which grant types your agency is eligible for, and apply now: https://learn.nationalchildrensalliance.org/2025-application-resource-page

When it comes to child sexual abuse and exploitation, a new look at the U.S. shows we’re not doing very well. The Econom...
06/28/2024

When it comes to child sexual abuse and exploitation, a new look at the U.S. shows we’re not doing very well. The Economist Impact's groundbreaking Out of the Shadows Index shines a light on the prevention and response to child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) in the U.S. If this were a report card, the best performing state would only have a D. What this means for kids is that, as a nation, our safeguarding is wholly inadequate and our response system woefully underfunded.

On the latest episode of One in Ten podcast, we invited Laura Avery and Katherine Stewart, the authors of the report, to talk to us about the report and how by being able to pinpoint weaknesses and challenges, we can develop state-specific roadmaps for improvement in child protection. If you haven’t already read the report, please make sure you do.

Listen to the episode now: https://link.chtbl.com/OiTHGAWAKKS

Download the in-depth report: https://loom.ly/EQ8A944

This week, representatives from 16 State Chapters and a Regional Children's Advocacy Center came together with NCA in Al...
06/27/2024

This week, representatives from 16 State Chapters and a Regional Children's Advocacy Center came together with NCA in Alexandria, VA for our CAC Sustainability Convening. We discussed how to sustain and enhance CACs and chapters through local, state, and federal funding. Participants are also going to Capitol Hill to meet with their Members of Congress today!

Our 3rd annual Seamless conference—the only national mental health conference specifically for clinicians working with C...
06/26/2024

Our 3rd annual Seamless conference—the only national mental health conference specifically for clinicians working with Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) families—isn't until September, but locking in your decision to learn has never been more affordable. The NCA Institute for Better Mental Health Outcomes is offering our final early bird discount to Seamless registrants. The discount is available through this weekend only—it ends on Sunday, June 30.

After that, the price goes up to $249 for clinicians who serve children through NCA member CACs. (Don't practice with clients through a CAC? Don't worry, any clinician can join us for just $249, or $299 after the June 30 deadline.)

Learn more and get the Early Bird Rate now, then share to let your network know: https://web.cvent.com/event/dd8ecb37-6aab-49ea-a461-b4a339b16bc2/summary

H.R. 8061, the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) Stabilization Actin the U.S. House of Representatives has more than 70 cosponsor...
06/25/2024

H.R. 8061, the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) Stabilization Act
in the U.S. House of Representatives has more than 70 cosponsors, and it’s time to take the next step in support of funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) and other victims services agencies.

If you haven’t already called your representative in the House to ask them to support the bill, please do so. And if you have—thank you!—please take a minute now to call your two senators and ask them to cosponsor the Senate version of the bill, S.4514, introduced by Sen. Richard Durbin from Illinois and Sen. Lisa Murkowski from Alaska. The CAC movement has a lot of champions in the Senate and it’s never too early to remind them that there’s something they can do to help victims in the community heal.

Check out our Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Advocacy Resources page on NCA Engage: https://learn.nationalchildrensalliance.org/voca

NCA Program Associate, Grants Management James Magoon was recently at Children's Advocacy Center of Brevard in Florida t...
06/20/2024

NCA Program Associate, Grants Management James Magoon was recently at Children's Advocacy Center of Brevard in Florida to show his appreciation for all the wonderful work they're doing in serving kids and families since 1996!

Learn more: https://cacbrevard.org/

Last week, The NCA team was at The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) 31st Colloquium in New...
06/17/2024

Last week, The NCA team was at The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) 31st Colloquium in New Orleans, Louisiana. Director of Accreditation Alyson MacKenzie, MSW (right) and Accreditation Coordinator Alyssa Todd, MSW (left) presented "The Child Advocacy Center Model to Address Child Sexual Abuse: Updates to Standards For Accredited CACs" where Director of the NCA Institute For Better Mental Health Outcomes Michelle Miller, Ph.D., LCSW (center) also discussed the Institute.

🔵Learn more about our National Standards of Accreditation: https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/ncas-standards-for-accredited-members/
🔵Learn more about the NCA Institute For Better Mental Health Outcomes: https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/learn/nca-institute/

06/14/2024

On the latest episode of One in Ten podcast, Dr. Arline Geronimus joined us at the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference to talk about weathering, how health and aging have more to do with systemic oppression—how society treats us—than how well we take care of ourselves. It's a fascinating conversation you need to check out.

Listen to the full episode and subscribe to One in Ten: https://link.chtbl.com/OiTWiW

You can also watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YSB5zoyj9IA?si=TEhTixDpQ18wczNn

Buy Dr. Geronimus' book, Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society: https://arlinegeronimus.com/weathering/

NCA Grants season will soon be upon us! We expect to launch Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) and State Chapter grants in...
06/13/2024

NCA Grants season will soon be upon us! We expect to launch Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) and State Chapter grants in the next few weeks. We don't have an exact date yet, but we're working hard to assure the earliest release possible!

Members, check your email for a message from us that was sent out earlier today with the subject line, "Now's the Time to Prep for 2025 Grant Funds," for resources you can use to get the process started now and identify eligible needs and prepare a strong application.

Thank you to Senate Judiciary Chairman Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for working together...
06/12/2024

Thank you to Senate Judiciary Chairman Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for working together to address critical shortfalls in VOCA and supporting Children's Advocacy Centers and other victim services around the country. Their bi-partisan solution is the companion to the House's Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO-02), along with Reps. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-12), Stephanie Bice (R-OK-05), and Jim Costa (D-CA-21). The bill would utilize surplus funds collected through the False Claims Act to the Crime Victims Fund.

Learn more and share this with your network:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee,...

06/12/2024

Would you recognize grooming if you saw it? We all think we know what it means, but that doesn’t mean we’re any good at spotting it—even if we’re parents determined to protect our kids from abuse. In fact, if anything, we’re overconfident about our ability to recognize grooming behaviors. Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic returns to One in Ten podcast to discuss recent research on the topic in this latest episode.

Listen to the full episode now and subscribe to One in Ten: https://link.chtbl.com/OITHGAPRG

Check out our previous episode with Dr. Jeglic, "The Real Red Flags of Grooming:" https://oneintenpodcast.org/episodes/the-real-red-flags-of-grooming/

A World Without Sexual Violence

06/10/2024

Starting the week off with a huge burst of energy after our 2024 Leadership Conference highlighting our Closing Keynote, Sally Z of BeMoved! In "Authenticity In The Big Moments!" Sally shared stories and strategies to help attendees "BE YOU" in the biggest of moments (when we're convinced we can't). Afterwards, she signed copies of her book, "Speaking Story: Using the Magic of Storytelling to Make Your Mark, Pitch Your Ideas, and Ignite Meaningful Change" that was on sale during the conference!

Also, stay tuned next month for a conversation with Sally Z on our One in Ten podcast on how to be our authentic selves in big moments. Subscribe to One in Ten to be notified when our interview with her is published.

Learn more about Sally Z, and check out her book: https://bemoved.com/

06/07/2024

At the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference this week, NCA CEO Teresa Huizar spoke with Dr. Arline Geronimus for a Fireside Chat around Dr. Geronimus’ book Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society.

It was a fascinating conversation exploring Dr. Geronimus’ concept of weathering, the cost of resiliency, and high-effort coping on people who are discriminated against or othered, and we can do about it. It’s an important topic that affects many of us, our colleagues, and the people we serve. After the Fireside Chat, Dr. Geronimus signed copies of her book that was on sale during the conference!

Also, you have the opportunity to listen to this full interview on the upcoming episode of our One in Ten podcast set to be released next week. Please subscribe to our podcast on your app of choice, and stay tuned!

Children’s Advocacy Centers and military partners across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. for the CAC-Military P...
06/06/2024

Children’s Advocacy Centers and military partners across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. for the CAC-Military Partnership Forum the day before our 2024 Leadership Confefence kicked off! Participants had a great day of in-person peer sharing and learned about building partnerships to better serve military families.

🚨Open NCA Job Alert🚨✨NCAtrak Product Manager (remote position): Oversees all phases of NCAtrak development projects, fro...
06/06/2024

🚨Open NCA Job Alert🚨

✨NCAtrak Product Manager (remote position): Oversees all phases of NCAtrak development projects, from initial planning and budgeting to eventual deployment, and handle all interactions with contractors, vendors, and collaborators. Additionally, develop marketing and business plans to enhance NCAtrak's visibility and attract more subscribers. Must have experience or certification in principles of data security, web application development, and database administration.

Interested in making an impact for kids on a national scale, and taking the next step in your career in the movement? Check out the job description and posting below and apply ASAP, or forward to someone in your network who may be a good fit for this position: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/2491982/NATIONAL-CHILDRENS-ALLIANCE/NCATrak-Product-Manager

Representing the needs of the kids and families we serve to our elected officials in Washington, D.C. is crucial to help...
06/05/2024

Representing the needs of the kids and families we serve to our elected officials in Washington, D.C. is crucial to helping them better understand the role they play in helping communities heal. Some in-person attendees took to Capitol Hill this week to tell our story to lawmakers and win their support for kids. Here are just a few!

Thanks to everyone who tagged us in their pics! We'd love for everyone to tell us about your experience in the comments!

06/05/2024

“The way that things have always been done, doesn’t have to be the way that they always are in the future. We have the power in ourselves to make that change.”

At the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference our Senior Manager, Workforce Project Michele Mullen, MSW, LCSW introduced our Leadership and Workforce Development Project as part of our Strategic Plan to grow a larger, stronger, and more diverse, equitable and inclusive CAC Movement for the future.

Check out the video to learn more!



06/04/2024

NCA Institute for Better Mental Health Outcomes National Trainer Ashley Fiore, MSW, LCSW, spoke at our Annual Membership Meeting at the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference about how we as the CAC Movement can draw and support mental health clinicians. On a panel, She spoke with two young, bright clinicians she trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Hannah Milius, MA and Rhianna Musser, LSW, about their experience training with NCA and the impact this had on their clients, their caregivers and the clinicians’ own professional development.

Learn more about the NCA Institute For Better Mental Health Outcomes and see our upcoming trainings: https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/learn/nca-institute/

🌟A great way to wrap up day one of the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference with the 2024 NCA Recognition Awards Ceremony! We ...
06/04/2024

🌟A great way to wrap up day one of the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference with the 2024 NCA Recognition Awards Ceremony! We celebrated some of the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) movement's most innovative leaders, most dedicated champions, and most devoted volunteers.

Please join us in congratulating those honored tonight:
🔵 Bud Cramer Advocacy Award: U.S Senator John Cornyn, Texas
🔵 2024 Champion for Children: Catherine S. Connell, MSW; FBI
🔵 Community Philanthropy Award: Steve Tujague, In Jesus' Name Foundation
🔵 DEI Leadership Award: Corey Brodsky, MA; Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center
🔵 Horowitz-Barker Lifetime Achievement Award: Carrie Cohan, MSW; Madison County Child Advocacy Center (Ill.)
🔵 Innovative Changemaker Award: Paula Condol, MS LPCC; Dakota Children's Advocacy Center
🔵 Outstanding Chapter Leader Award: Karla Steckler Tye; Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi
🔵 Volunteer Leadership Award: Shonnery Pettit, MBA; Center for Child Protection

We’re extremely proud to announce the establishment of seven memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with Military Criminal In...
06/03/2024

We’re extremely proud to announce the establishment of seven memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with Military Criminal Investigative Organizations (MCIOs) and DoD Family Advocacy Programs (FAPs) to support CAC-military partnerships nationwide.

At the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference, we announced this achievement and honored our military partners. More details to come on how you can sign on!

06/03/2024

Excellent 2024 NCA Leadership Conference Opening Keynote from Gaelin Elmore (Gaelin Speaks): Be The Difference!

We are SO excited seeing everyone at the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. and virtually! The official ...
06/03/2024

We are SO excited seeing everyone at the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. and virtually! The official kickoff is in less than 45 minutes!

Would you recognize grooming if you saw it? We all think we know what it means, but that doesn’t mean we’re any good at ...
05/31/2024

Would you recognize grooming if you saw it? We all think we know what it means, but that doesn’t mean we’re any good at spotting it—even if we’re parents determined to protect our kids from abuse. In fact, if anything, we’re overconfident about our ability to recognize grooming behaviors. Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic returns to One in Ten podcast to discuss recent research on the topic in this latest episode.

Listen now and subscribe to One in Ten: https://link.chtbl.com/OITHGAPRG

Check out our previous episode with Dr. Jeglic, "The Real Red Flags of Grooming:" https://oneintenpodcast.org/episodes/the-real-red-flags-of-grooming/

A World Without Sexual Violence

Support for child victims of abuse has been dwindling for years, but now is at a critical moment for change. The Crime V...
05/30/2024

Support for child victims of abuse has been dwindling for years, but now is at a critical moment for change. The Crime Victims Fund (CVF), sourced through federal criminal convictions, is unpredictable and Children's Advocacy Centers (CAC) have been suffering because of it. As the pot dries up, they may have to cut back on their services or even shutter their doors.

Rep. Ann Wagner and her colleagues Reps. Moran, Dingell, Bice and Costa have introduced the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act (CVFSA) to keep agency doors open to crime victims who deserve our assistance. The CVFSA redirects funds collected through the False Claims Act (FCA) into the CVF through FY 2029. Without this funding, CACs supporting child abuse victims will be crippled or even shut down.

Now’s the chance to loudly support a quietly vital element of our communities. We urge the House to pass this bill and make critical dollars available for the children, families and communities that need it.

https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-leads-bipartisan-group-house-members-effort-avert-cuts-victims

🌟If you're attending the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference next week, in-person or virtually, take part in our social media...
05/29/2024

🌟If you're attending the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference next week, in-person or virtually, take part in our social media challenge for a chance to win a prize!

👇It's only 3 easy steps for attendees to be eligible to win!

1️⃣ Follow our Instagram,
2️⃣ Post a video or photo and share what you learned at the conference and how it'll help you to better serve kids and families
3️⃣ Include the official challenge hashtag, , and tag our Instagram in your caption

Once you do that, you'll then be entered into a random drawing to potentially win a $50 Amazon Gift Card. On June 12, 2024, we will connect with the winner through Instagram direct message, and then make the official announcement on our socials! Stay tuned!

Good luck, and we can't wait to see you at the conference!

In case you missed it: we have additional funds to give out, on a rolling basis. Give your multidisciplinary team (MDT) ...
05/28/2024

In case you missed it: we have additional funds to give out, on a rolling basis. Give your multidisciplinary team (MDT) the ability to connect remotely and securely for peer review or purchase equipment like laptops or tablets so caregivers, youth, and MDT members can complete Outcome Measurement System (OMS) surveys electronically.

It's a very short application, and you have until June 14 at 11:59 p.m. EDT to apply for up to $50,000.

Learn more and apply now: https://learn.nationalchildrensalliance.org/2024-ETS-Special-Focus

Please note: This grant is completely separate from any other grants we give. It’s open to all, even if you currently have grants from NCA.

05/24/2024

All of us have had to give more thought to climate change and its effects in recent years. But to what degree have we yet reckoned with the way in which climate change may increase violence against children?

Which children are most likely to be affected? What preventative measures can we take now to help mitigate that risk? And how should this knowledge shape our services to children and families, both now and in the future? On this One in Ten podcast episode, we spoke with Dr. Jorge Cuartas, assistant professor of applied psychology at New York University and senior consultant on violence against children at the World Bank.

Listen to the full episode now and subscribe to One in Ten: https://oneintenpodcast.org/episodes/climate-change-and-violence-against-children/

NCA CEO Teresa Huizar was featured in this Governing piece about the impacts of Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) cuts that co...
05/22/2024

NCA CEO Teresa Huizar was featured in this Governing piece about the impacts of Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) cuts that could drastically affect services that support victims of crime, including Children's Advocacy Centers.

Read on to learn more and please share with your networks:

A 6-year plunge in federal funding that aids victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse is causing alarm among state and local organizations that rely on those dollars to provide services.

05/21/2024

Investing in youth mental health is an investment in our future. We’re proud to support the work done by the National Children's Alliance, a nonprofit organization working with local youth affected by trauma, who trained more than 123 mental health providers in youth trauma in order to expand access to care for children who need it most.

At Regence, we know that access to mental health care can be difficult for people living in rural areas – which is why we donated $11.5 million to community partners to help address the issue. Read more about this project with National Children’s Alliance and others who are making a difference in their communities. Learn more: https://news.regence.com/blog/supporting-mental-health-care-access-in-rural-communities-6902392

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