Training for Professionals

We customize trainings to the specific needs of individual agencies and organizations. For questions about training options and costs, please contact the CAC’s Training Program Manager, Erica Chepulis, at Erica.L.Chepulis@mass.gov. You can also request a training with this form:

High-Risk Missing and Exploited Youth: The Multidisciplinary Team Response (1.5-2 hours)

Youth who are missing from care are particularly vulnerable to exploiters who seek to prey upon their isolation and lack of resources. This training is designed to increase the ability of responders to recognize and respond to high-risk, missing victims of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Participants will learn about the nexus between the internet, missing youth, and CSEC and about the composition of the CSEC Multidisciplinary Team when youth go missing. They will receive practical guidance and discuss strategies and approaches to trauma-informed engagement, planning the recovery of high-risk missing youth, and prevention.

Recognizing and Responding to Child Abuse (1-1.5 hours)

Most children do not tell someone when they’re being abused or neglected. Adults have a responsibility to identify and respond appropriately to any suspicions of child maltreatment. In this training, participants will learn to identify the signs of child abuse and neglect, how to respond to a disclosure, and how to get help for the child.

I Filed a 51A Report...Now What? The Multidisciplinary Response to Child Abuse (1-1.5 hours)

Learn how our multidisciplinary team responds to reports of child abuse and neglect in Suffolk County. Participants will learn about the role of the CAC, law enforcement, DCF, and the District Attorney’s Office in the response, and how a coordinated response benefits children and families.

Understanding Children’s Sexual Behavior (1-1.5 hours)

When children display sexual behaviors, it can be difficult to gauge the level of concern and know how to best respond. Participants will learn how to differentiate between sexual behavior that is problematic from what is typical or developmentally expected, and identify resources to help children exhibiting problematic sexual behaviors.

Exploitation in the Virtual World (1.5-2 hours)

This training provides an overview of what youth are seeing and experiencing in the virtual world, how professionals can help keep youth safe, and what to do if a child has experienced online exploitation. Participants will learn about:

• Sexual development and exposure to the virtual world, including sexually explicit content and pornography
• Recognizing online exploitation, including online grooming and sextortion
• Risky behaviors in adolescence, such as sexting and non-consensual image sharing, and how perpetrators take advantage of these behaviors
• Preventing and responding to online exploitation, as well as how to talk to youth and caregivers about this issue

Responding to Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (1-1.5 hours)

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is child sexual abuse. The ability to identify CSEC victims ensures that these victims receive the appropriate supports and services. Participants will be able to define CSEC, identify risk factors for victimization, recognize indicators that a youth is a CSEC victim, and better understand mandated reporting laws and their role in responding to suspected CSEC.

Stop, Block, and Talk: Empowering Kids & Families to Stay Safe while Using Technology (1.5-2 hours)

Stop, Block, and Talk is a proactive approach that teaches kids a simple but memorable way to use websites, apps, and games in the smartest and safest way possible. Participants will learn:

• What are kids posting and how can it affect their future?
• What kinds of pressures do kids face?
• What are the risks associated with commonly used apps, sites, and games?
• How can kids reduce their risk through the Stop, Block, and Talk framework and by applying safety settings?
• How common is sexting? What is sextortion and how does it happen?
• What is the law pertaining to these issues in MA?

Medical Services for Children who Experienced Abuse or Neglect (1-1.5 hours)

Learn about the medical services we provide at the Children's Advocacy Center, children's specific medical needs, and how to provide appropriate medical care for children who have experienced trauma. Our pediatric sexual assault nurse examiner (Pedi-SANE) also facilitates training on how to collect forensic evidence, utilizing the Massachusetts Pediatric Evidence Collection Kit, for acute sexual assault child victims.

Developing a Multidisciplinary Response to Child Trafficking (timeline varies)

We work with organizations to improve their systematic response to child trafficking. We provide consultation and in-person training on developing a coalition, designing protocols for identifying high-risk youth and responding to suspicions of child trafficking, and forming a framework for multidisciplinary case coordination.