CACLA and JCAC Legislative Open House

Jefferson Children's Advocacy Center
and Children's Advocacy Center's of Louisiana
Legislative Open House

Mark Spears (Councilman, JCAC Board Member), Pam Occhipanti (Chief of Diversion, Jefferson Parish), Barron Burmaster (Executive Assistant District Attorney, Jefferson Parish), Wayne Zimmerman (JCAC Board President), Stephen Wimberly (1st Assistant District Attorney, Jefferson Parish), Paul Connick, Jr. (District Attorney, Jefferson Parish), Erika Dupepe (JCAC Executive Director), Margaret Hay (Chief of Family Violence Unit, Jefferson Parish), Amanda Calogero (Chief of Juvenile, Jefferson Parish), Suzanne Jolissaint (JCAC Forensic Interviewer)

The Jefferson Children's Advocacy Center and the Children's Advocacy Centers of Louisiana (CACLA) hosted a Legislative Open House on December 13th. State Representatives, City Councilmen, and members of the District Attorney's office toured the JCAC and learned about the important services JCAC provides. 

CACLA is launching an initiative to engage law makers in issues vital to children's advocacy centers (CACs) across the state. The Jefferson Children's Advocacy Center was among the first CAC to kick-off this initiative. By inviting legislators to CACs, relationships will be strengthened and leveraged for better outcomes for the children we serve. 

Six Ways to Have a Healthy, Happy Holiday with Your Child

Six Ways to Have a Healthy, Happy Holiday 

with Your Child!

1)      Include your child in the planning and preparations. Kids are creative and can give great ideas for Holiday get-togethers. Let your child pick out some fun games to play or have them help with the baking. You will be making memories before the party even begins!

2)     Be physically active. Burn some calories after loading up on the sweets. Teach your child to maintain a healthy lifestyle by participating in fun activities. Dance to your favorite holiday tunes, take a brisk walk around the block, or try a new sport.

3)      Make sure to have one-to-one time with your child. Many of us feel overwhelmed with the amount of time we are required to spend with our friends and extended family during the Holiday Season. Your child may feel the same. Squeeze in time to be together--just the kids and parents. Start a tradition just for you. 

4)      View the holidays through the eyes of your child. Remember what the Holiday Season felt like when you were little? Try to rekindle those feelings. Be giddy over opening a gift, in awe of the beautiful lights, and enjoy the delicious goodies. Share in the excitement of the holidays with your child.

5)      Give yourself a break. The Holidays are often stressful. A range of thoughts and emotions-- such as family feuds, remembering loved ones who have passed, and anxiety about visitors-- can make this a negative time of year. Please give yourself a break.

6)      Respect your child’s boundaries. Some families expect children to show physical signs of affection to their family members-- like hugs, kisses, or sitting on an adult's lap. Remember that your child has the right to chose when and how they are touched. Respect your child's right to make this choice.

  

Twilight Gardeners Decorate the JCAC for the Holidays!

Twilight Gardeners Decorate for the Holidays!

We would like to express our sincerest appreciation to the Twilight Gardeners for decorating the JCAC this Holiday Season! Each year, since opening our doors in 1991, these wonderful ladies have donated a beautiful Christmas tree and taken time out of their busy schedules to decorate for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas. We deeply appreciate their support and generosity in keeping the JCAC a welcoming, festive place for the children and families we serve each Holiday Season.

Thanksgiving with Jefferson Parish General Services

Thanksgiving with Jefferson Parish General Services

Volunteer Terri and AmeriCorps VISTA Ashley preparing Thanksgiving Dinner for Jefferson Parish General Services. 

The Jefferson Children's Advocacy Center thanks General Services with an annual Thanksgiving dinner hosted at the center. General Services supports the JCAC by taking care of our house-- from heating, to plumbing, and everything in between. These important services allow JCAC to maintain its child-friendly, home-like center. 

We appreciate everything you do, Jefferson Parish General Services!

Together We Can

Together We Can 

10th Annual Conference

The Jefferson Children’s Advocacy Center (JCAC) team is back in Jefferson Parish after attending the “Together We Can 10^th Annual Conference” in Lafayette! The three-day, information-packed event included various workshops and presentations concerning the prevention and treatment of child victimization. Nearly 500 child advocates were in attendance at this great event.

JCAC’s Executive Director and Forensic Interviewer attended the Forensic Interviewer Peer Review while at the conference. Peer Review gave Forensic Interviewers from Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) across the state of Louisiana the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn from the work practiced by other CACs. Through collaboration, CACs across the state can continually improve their efforts to provide legally sound best practice interviews. 

Victor Vieth’s remarkable keynote address, “Unto a Third Generation: A Call to End Child Abuse within 120 Years,” was a definite highlight of the conference. Through his address, Mr.Vieth detailed the work he is executing as the Executive Director of the National Child Protection Training Center (NCPTC). NCPTC implements the Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) minor-- a multi-disciplinary curriculum currently offered to child protection workers. Twenty universities offer the CAST minor and 40,000 child protection workers have been trained so far. For more information about Victor Vieth and NCPTC’s efforts, please visit their website at http://www.ncptc.org/.

Jefferson Children’s Advocacy Center’s team is grateful to those who orchestrated and sponsored the Together We Can Conference! We look forward to future opportunities to collaborate with child advocates.

Coyote Blues "Soft Opening" Fundraiser

Support Jefferson Children's Advocacy Center at the

Coyote Blues "Soft Opening" Fundraiser!

Where: Coyote Blues, 4860 Veteran's Blvd., Metairie

When: Saturday, November 3, 6pm-9pm

Come out to sample the new menu and delicious cocktails while helping out two great causes!

Tickets are only $35 per person and can be purchased at the door or on our website: http://www.jeffersoncac.com/ (via paypal under our "Donate" tab).

For more information contact us directly at (504) 364-3857.

All proceeds will benefit the Jefferson Children's Advocacy Center and Rummel Alumni Scholarship Fund.

Welcome!

Welcome to Jefferson Children's Advocacy Center's Blog!

Childhood is a time that we should all remember fondly….a time of youth, innocence and discovery.  Unfortunately for some, however, it is marked by secrets, confusion, shame and/or guilt.  Child abuse is a parent's worst fear and a child's worst nightmare.  Statistics continue to show that approximately 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will become a victim of sexual abuse by their 18^th birthday.  Through education and a coordinated, compassionate interagency approach, the Jefferson Children's Advocacy Center (JCAC) believes that the fight against child abuse can be won.  As a nationally accredited CAC and partner of our state chapter, we provide legally sound, digitally-recorded forensic interviews, trauma-informed counseling services, sexual abuse education prevention programs for Jefferson Parish schools, businesses and community members, as well as regularly participate in community awareness activities . 

On behalf of our staff, Board of Directors and children we serve, I thank you for taking the time to read our newly created blog.  We hope that you check back regularly for updates and spread the word.  For additional information, we can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and our website (www.jeffersoncac.com).  Thank you again for visiting because together we can make a difference!

- Erika Dupépé, Executive Director

The JCAC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and relies on grants, fundraiser and donations to provide its services.  If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit our website and click on the "Donate" tab (www.jeffersoncac.com).