The grants to prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and SEX trafficking against children and youth program supports comprehensive, community-based…

The Child Advocacy Center, Inc. (CAC) received a $499,893 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Consolidated And Technical Assistance Grant Program to Address Children and Youth Experiencing Domestic and Sexual Violence and Engage Men and Boys as Allies (CFDA 16.888). The 36-month grant funding will enable CAC to strengthen direct services and expand preventative efforts for children and youth ages 11-17 who have experienced domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking in Southern Missouri. Key activities include providing specialized services such as victim advocacy, crisis counseling, mental health support, and therapy, as well as developing coordinated training programs for caregivers, multi-disciplinary team participants, and allied professionals. CAC is also implementing tailored multi-disciplinary team response protocols and creating a sustainable training and educational program to identify youth experiencing violence and ensure a trauma-informed response and referral process. Additionally, CAC has received sub-awards from the Missouri Department of Social Services and National Children's Alliance Inc. to provide core direct services, medical exams, and interviewer salaries for child advocacy centers in various regions of Missouri.

The grants to prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and SEX trafficking against children and youth program supports comprehensive, community-based projects that develop or expand prevention, intervention, treatment, and response strategies to address the needs of children and youth impacted by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and SEX trafficking, including support for their non-abusing parents, caregivers, and legal guardians. With this funding, child advocacy center, INC. (CAC) will serve children and youth ages 11-17 and their non-offending caregivers in southern missouri. Specifically, in partnership with the victim center and community partnership of the ozarks, CAC aims to: 1) strengthen direct services and expand preventative efforts by providing access to specialized services such as victim advocacy, crisis counseling, mental health, and therapy, and transportation; 2) develop a coordinated training ecosystem for non-offending caregivers, new and existing multi-disciplinaryteam (MDT) participants, and allied professionals; 3) implement a defined mdtresponse with protocols that specifically address the unique needs of youths by identifying types of victimization: and 4) develop a sustainable and repeatable training and educational program that identifies youth experiencing violence and ensures a trauma-informed response and referral process. The project period for this award is 36 months.