Monday January 25, 2016 –
GAINESVILLE, Ga. – The Edmondson-Telford Center for Children has been awarded accreditation by National Children’s Alliance following an extensive application and site review process. As the accrediting agency for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) across the country, National Children’s Alliance awards various levels of accreditation and membership to centers responding to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient, and put the needs of child victims of abuse first. Accreditation is the highest level of membership with National Children’s Alliance and denotes excellence in service provision.
The Edmondson-Telford Center provides services to Hall and Dawson County children who are victims of sexual or severe physical abuse or neglect, as well as their non-offending family members. The Center provides a safe environment for crisis intervention and medical advocacy as the victim moves through the examination and investigation stages. The center opened in 1997 and serves more than 300 children free-of-charge annually. The high quality evidence gathered through forensic interviews and medical examinations has proven critical in the successful prosecution of countless offenders and has increased the prosecution rates of child offenders in Hall and Dawson counties. The Center serves as a central coordination point for multiple agencies involved in child abuse cases to ensure that no child “falls through the cracks.”
National Children’s Alliance awards Accredited Membership based on a CAC’s compliance with 10 national standards of accreditation to ensure effective, efficient and consistent delivery of services to child abuse victims. National Children’s Alliance updated these standards in 2010 to reflect the most recent evidence-based practices in the field of child abuse intervention and prevention. According to these standards, Accredited Members must utilize a functioning and effective Multidisciplinary Team approach to work collaboratively in child abuse investigation, prosecution, and treatment. National Children’s Alliance also considers standards regarding a center’s cultural competency and diversity, forensic interviews, victim support and advocacy, medical evaluation, therapeutic intervention, and child focused setting.
“We are extremely proud of our accreditation from National Children’s Alliance,” says Heather Hayes, CFNP, executive director of the Edmondson Telford Center. “It not only validates our proven effective approach to responding to allegations of child abuse, but also provides consistency across the child advocacy center movement as a whole.”
“The Edmondson-Telford Center for Children is to be commended for its excellent work serving victims of child abuse,” said Teresa Huizar, executive director of National Children’s Alliance. “As the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country, our goal is to ensure that every victim of child abuse has access to high quality services that result from professional collaboration.”
For more information about the Edmondson Telford Center for Children, visit www.etcenterforchildren.org
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The Edmondson Telford Center for Children provides the following core services:
- Videotaped forensic interviews of suspected child abuse victims conducted by professionally trained certified forensic interviewers and coordinated with the involved investigative agencies.
- Forensic medical examinations of suspected child abuse victims conducted by professionally trained certified forensic interviewers and coordinated with the involved investigative agencies.
- Crisis intervention, resource materials and emotional support for victims and non-offending caregivers.
- Legislative advocacy for children’s rights and issues regarding child maltreatment
- Coordinated interdisciplinary review of cases by a team of professionals, including law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors, medical and mental health professionals, school personnel, victim’s assistance staff and child advocates.
- Professional training and community education for effectively identifying and responding to child abuse.
National Children’s Alliance is the national association and accrediting body for the over 750 children’s advocacy centers serving each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Dedicated to helping local communities respond to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient, and put the needs of child victims of abuse first, National Children’s Alliance provides support and advocacy to its accredited membership, as well as numerous developing centers, multidisciplinary teams and child abuse professionals around the country, and the world. As the national authority on multidisciplinary approaches to supporting child victims of abuse, the purpose of National Children’s Alliance is to empower local communities to provide comprehensive, coordinated and compassionate services to victims of child abuse. Founded in 1998, National Children’s Alliance provides accreditation opportunities, financial assistance, training, technical assistance, research and education to communities, child abuse professionals and children’s advocacy centers throughout the United States in support of child abuse intervention, advocacy and prevention. www.nationalchildrensalliance.org