Episode 47 - MDT and SRO Partnerships

EPISODE SUMMARY:

School Resource Officers (SROs) play a vital role in Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs). In this episode, we explore the importance of collaboration between SROs and CACs in the multidisciplinary response to child abuse cases, along with strategies for overcoming common challenges. Whether you're looking to strengthen an existing partnership or establish a new one, tune in for valuable insights and practical advice.

Topics in this episode:

• Understanding the roles (4:13)
• Overlapping of roles (7:55)
• Building and maintaining the CAC and SRO partnership (11:41)
  • Role of the school district
  • Barriers and challenges
  • Shared understanding
• Value of SROs as MDT partners (24:11)
• SRO training (28:03)
• Advice for CAC/MDT interested in forming a relationship with SROs (32:53)

GUESTS:

Amy- Lynn Sullivan, Program Coordinator/Forensic Interviewer at Child Advocacy Center of Hillsborough County-North

Detective Kyler Stevenson, Manchester New Hampshire Police Department

Jennifer Shumway, CSEC Coordinator at Cumberland County Children's Advocacy Center 

Officer Timothy Dalton, Scarborough Police Department

Lauren Dembski-Martin, Social Services Manager at Scarborough Police Department

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Cumberland County Children's Advocacy Center: https://cumberlandcountycac.org
• KNOW & TELL: https://knowandtell.org
• Child Abuse: The KNOW & Tell Program (NCJTC): https://ncjtc.fvtc.edu/trainings/TR00008379/TRI2406800/child-abuse-the-know-tell-program
• Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org
• Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org

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Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.