The northeast regional childrens advocacy center, a project of the philadelphia childrens alliance, serves the nine-state northeast region: connecticut, maine, massachusetts, new hampshire, new…

The Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded a $1.175 million cooperative agreement to the Philadelphia Children's Alliance on October 1, 2025, under the Improving the Investigation and Prosecution of Child Abuse and the Regional and Local Children's Advocacy Centers program (CFDA 16.758).

The Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center, a project of the Philadelphia Children's Alliance, delivers coordinated training and technical assistance to multidisciplinary teams, children's advocacy centers, and state chapters across the nine-state Northeast region: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The center produces and disseminates evidence-based curricula, publications, podcasts, and digital tools addressing child trafficking, sexual assault, secondary traumatic stress, and leadership development. Training and technical assistance reach practitioners through a hybrid model of virtual and in-person engagement. The center conducts annual collaborative needs assessments with other regional children's advocacy centers and tribal advocacy training providers, aligning support with federal priorities and emerging field trends. The center also participates in annual reviews of the five-year national strategic plan with Victims of Child Abuse Act partners.

The award period runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with place of performance in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The program aims to improve the quality of criminal investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases and strengthen community responses to child abuse and neglect through strategic coordinated training and assistance.

The northeast regional childrens advocacy center, a project of the philadelphia childrens alliance, serves the nine-state northeast region: connecticut, maine, massachusetts, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, pennsylvania, rhode island, and vermont. As a long-standing regional grant recipient, the center provides coordinated training and technical assistance to multidisciplinary teams, childrens advocacy centers, and state chapters to strengthen the national response to child abuse. With 30 years of experience, the center leads large-scale initiatives that improve outcomes for child victims and support law enforcement and prosecution of crimes against children. Through strategic collaboration with state chapters, the center enhances investigative practices, prosecutorial outcomes, and trauma-informed services for victims and families. The northeast regional childrens advocacy center works with other regional childrens advocacy centers and the tribal childrens advocacy center training and technical assistance provider in a coordinated national process to assess needs and deliver targeted support. This joint work is reviewed annually to align with emerging trends, federal priorities, and evidence-based practices. To meet evolving field needs, the center produces and disseminates curricula, publications, podcasts, and digital tools addressing child trafficking, sexual assault, secondary traumatic stress, and leadership development. Training and technical assistance is delivered through a hybrid modelvirtual and in-personto expand access and improve efficiency. The centers exchange and coaching program, along with collaborative initiatives, enhances multidisciplinary team capabilities and fosters sustainable practices. Additionally, the center plays a key role in the annual review of a five-year national strategic plan in partnership with the victims of child abuse act partners ensuring alignment of efforts and efficient use of resources. The centers tailored training and technical assistance approach, strong partnerships, and commitment to innovation position IT to advance a coordinated, trauma-informed, victim-centered response to child abuse across the northeast.