Resources for Professionals

Advocacy

Many community agencies and prevention practitioners advocate for children and families affected by sexual abuse and sexual violence. Sexual abuse is a complex issue. All members of our communities are critical to efforts in fostering and sustaining safe and healthy environments. The links here provide information on multidisciplinary approaches to these efforts.

• State Chapter of Children’s Advocacy Centers: Vermont Children’s Alliance   
• National Children’s Alliance: Learn

Intervention.

Individuals and organizations can assist in improving the outcomes for those who experience or perpetrate sexual abuse. These resources assist in setting boundaries and creating practice and policy that inhibits future abuse or negative effects and for fostering healthy relationships and environments for children, families and communities.

• Vermont Inter-agency Memorandums of Understanding:
  • Department of Corrections & Department for Children & Families: Child Protection Measures   
  • Agency of Education & Department for Children & Families: Sharing of Intake Information  
• Key Vermont Legislation:
  • Act 1: An Act Relating to Improving Vermont’s Sexual Abuse Response System   
  • Vermont Department of Corrections Legislative Report on Implementation of the Requirements of Act 1   
  • Agency of Human Services Report on the Community Outreach Plan for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention 

Prevention.

Protecting children is the responsibility of all adults and a critical component of the work of any professional working with children and youth. You will find information on the best practice topics from the creation of trainings, effective prevention programming, through current research on topics specific to sexual abuse and sexual violence. You may also find the information listed in the Families section of use to you or the children and families you are working with.

Effective Prevention Programming

• The Centers for Disease Control: Preventing Child Sexual Abuse in Youth Serving Organizations   
• Child Welfare Information Gateway: Standards for Prevention Programs   
• PreventConnect: Nine Principles of Effective Prevention Programs

General Prevention Resources

• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: Preventing the Sexual Exploitation of Children   
• National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation: Prevention Research & Resources   
• Who Are You?-Bystander/Consent Information Video   
• Committee for Children: Working Together to Prevent Child Abuse  
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Tips to Promote Social-Emotional Health Among Young Children  
• Healthy Sexual Development. Helping children understand what naturally happens and is healthy in sexual development is a prevention tool. It is never too early to start that education.
  • Marsh Media: Human Sexuality Education for Students with Special Needs   
  • Sexuality Information & Education Council (SIECUS): Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education  

Trauma.

Child Sexual Abuse is very traumatic to a child and disrupts child development. Sexual abuse is often a form of complex trauma when a child is exposed to multiple or prolonged traumatic sexual events. Complex trauma, such as sexual abuse, often begins in early childhood and occurs within the primary caregiving system. Exposure to these initial traumatic experiences, the resulting emotional dysregulation and the loss of safety, direction, and the ability to detect or respond to danger cues, often sets off a chain of events leading to subsequent or repeated trauma exposure in adolescence and adulthood.

• Health Impacts of Trauma on Children. High levels and constant or toxic stress changes the way children’s brains develop and can cause long term health issues. Learn more by going to these links.
  • California Department of Justice: First impressions…Exposure to Violence and a Child’s Developing Brain   
  • Harvard University: The Impact of Early Adversity on Children’s Development
  • South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault: Child Development and Trauma Guide  
  • Child Welfare Information Gateway: Supporting Brain Development in Traumatized Children & Youth
• General Trauma Resources.
  • National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Trauma-Informed Child and Family Services   
  • National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Child Trauma Tool Kit for Educators
  • Office for Victims of Crime: Through Our Eyes: Children, Violence, and Trauma   
  • National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health provides training, support, and consultation to advocates, mental health and substance abuse providers, legal professionals, and policymakers as they work to improve agency and systems-level responses to survivors and their children.
• Treatments for Trauma.
  • National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Treatments for Trauma   
  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Web Free on-line training and consultation for Trauma-Focuse Congitive-Behavior Therapy

Treatment.

Treatment plans for all aspects of sexual abuse and sexual violence can provide wrap around services from a multidisciplinary team. Professionals working with people affected by sexual abuse need to be knowledgeable about current best practice. Each team member will have a part to play whether it is providing support, referring for treatment or assisting with accountability. The links here will provide treatment information to guide your practice and provide resources both to you and your clients.

• General Treatment Resources.
  • National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Treatments for Trauma
  • Joann Grayson, Ph.D: Evidence-Based Interventions  
• Family Reunification: Part of the Treatment Plan. Sexual abuse within a child’s home creates additional safety concerns and careful planning for reunification is required when it is being considered. Reunification depends on many factors and a carefully designed plan.
  • Vermont Department of Children & Families Policy 98 Permanency Planning. The Vermont Department for Children and Families is committed to protecting children, strengthening families, and ensuring that every child and youth has a permanent family or family connection. Permanence is achieved when a child or youth is living in a nurturing family setting that offers legal commitment and continuity of relationships. Permanence is an important goal for every child and youth in care. Sexual abuse within a child’s home creates additional safety concerns and careful planning for reunification is required.
• Vermont Treatment Centers.
  • Vermont Designated Mental Health Agencies   
  • Vermont Department of Mental Health
  • Vermont Children’s Advocacy Centers 

Research.

Research provides rich and current information for all professionals in the area of sexual abuse and sexual violence. You will find articles here on the latest work.

• NEARI News. This free monthly newsletter helps you: Stay current with emerging, cutting-edge research Integrate new information into your practice Receive NEARI Promotions and Discounts
• VT ACE Conference: Improving Clinical Outcomes for Complex Patients On October 25 and 26, 2013 the Agency of Human Services hosted a conference to increase Vermont’s recognition that trauma is related to health outcomes over the life span and is pervasive across class and culture. The work of Dr. Vincent Felitti, MD through the CDC-Kaiser-Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences Study was featured. You will find the presentation materials and links to additional information in this folder.
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE) The ACE Study is one of the largest investigations ever conducted to assess associations between childhood maltreatment and later-life health and well-being. The study is a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente's Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego.
  • ACEs Connection This is a community of practice network. We use trauma-informed practices to prevent ACEs & further trauma, and to increase resilience.
  • Case Review of Chelsea Mansfield Dr. John D. Matthew, MD from the Health Center of Plainfield has created a review of the case study shared at the October 25th Conference on Improving Clinical Outcomes for Complex Patients: Adverse Childhood Experiences. This case review has attached research articles which discuss and provide background for the approach Dr. Matthew suggested for issues raised in this case.
  • Conference Six Month Follow-up Meeting Schedule This spreadsheet lists the dates, times and locations of the regional follow up meetings from the Conference. Individuals interested in helping their region become more trauma informed are welcome to attend these meetings. You do not have to have attended the Conference for this meeting to be appropriate for you.
  • James Hudziak, M.D. FAHC Fall 2010 "Nature vs. Nurture" Fletcher Allen Health Care and University of Vermont Community Medical School Podcast Program
  • Vermont Center for Children and Families James J. Hudziak, MD is the Director of The Vermont Center for Children, Youth, and Families. The Center is housed within the Department of Psychiatry and encompasses research at the University of Vermont, patient care at Fletcher Allen Health Care, and information for Primary Care Providers in the State of Vermont.
  • Christina Bethell, MBA, MPH PowerPoint Presentation from Saturday October 26, 2013, Stowe VT. Dr Bethell is a Professior in the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicaine at Oregon Health & Science University. She is the founding Director of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) and the National Maternal and Child Health Data Resource Center.
  • Christina Bethell, MBA, MPH Promoting Early and Life Long Health Using Family-Centered Data, Tools and Partnerships The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative PowerPoint Presentation - October 26, 2014, Stowe Vermont
  • Harry Chen, MD, Adverse Childhood Experiences study in a Vermont context Dr. Chen is the Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health. This presentation was made on October 25, 2014 at the Improving Clinical Outcomes for Complex Patients Conference in Stowe Vermont.
  • Integrated Family Services - Melissa Bailey, MA, LCMHC Melissa Bailey is the Director of Integrated Family Services in the Vermont Agency of Human Services. An Integrated System in Vermont: What is the Agency of Human Services Doing? was presented on October 26, 2013 at the Improving Clinical Outcomes for Complex Patients Conference in Stowe Vermont.
  • Obesity: Problem, Solution, or Both? Article by Vincent J Felitti, MD, Kathy Jaksit, Victoria Pepper, MS, Alber Ray, MD The Permanente Journal/ Spring 2010/ Volume 14 No. 1
  • Vermont Blue Print for Health: Lisa Dulsky Watkins, MD Lisa Dulsky Watkins is the Associate Director of Vermont Blueprint for Health in the Department of Vermont Health Access. This PowerPoint presentation was made at the October 25, 2013 Improving Clinical Outcomes for Complex Patients Conference in Stowe Vermont.
  • October 24, 2014 "Turning Gold into Lead" - Dr Vincent Felitti, Stowe VT Dr Vincent Felitti presents on the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study in Stowe VT with Vermont Legislators and Policy Makers. ORCA Media Inc.
• Resources for School Professionals
  • ACT One 2009: Improving Vermont's Sexual Abuse Response System The Agencies of Education and Human Services have worked closely and in partnership with community partners to develop resources for the implementation of Act 1 which went into effect July 1, 2011. Implementation of this legislation is important not only because it is in law, but it serves the best interest of Vermont students to help ensure their safety so that they can reach their full potential. You will find resources here to education adults and support comprehensive Health Education curriculum for students.
  • Newsletter Safety Articles The child sexual violence prevention work team has created a series of safety articles for you to print, distribute or use in school newsletters. If you do not already have one, we recommend a general safety column in your school newsletter. The articles found in this folder will provide important general safety information and information specific to the prevention of child sexual abuse for the adults in your community. To see a full description please read the letter to Administrators enclosed.