2012 Leadership Conference
June 07, 2012
Several staff members of the North Central Missouri Children’s Advocacy Center attended the 2012 Leadership Conference June 3-6, in Washington, D.C., hosted by the National Children’s Alliance. Verna Kelsey and Kimberly Grebner traveled to Washington, D.C. to receive training and education on up-to-date topics concerning Child Advocacy Centers and center based services. They were also able to meet with various members of Congress to discuss Child Advocacy Center issues. Ms. Kelsey is the Executive Director of the North Central Missouri Children’s Advocacy Center, located in Trenton, MO., and Ms. Grebner is a Sergeant with the Hamilton Police Department. Both are trained forensic interviewers.
A children’s advocacy center is a child-focused, facility-based program in which representatives from many disciplines, including law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical and victim advocacy, child advocacy, work together to conduct interviews and make team decisions about investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child abuse cases.
The National Children’s Alliance is a professional membership organization 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 first. They provide training, support, technical assistance and leadership on a national level to local children’s and child advocacy centers and communities responding to reports of child abuse and neglect.