Advocacy and Public Policy Organizations: Child Abuse and Neglect/Child Welfare

Phone: (703) 256-9578

The mission of the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center is to assist and promote the development of quality respite and crisis care programs; to help families locate respite and crisis care services in their communities; and to serve as a strong voice for respite in all forums.

nadid: 11103

Phone: (414) 359-1040

Fax: (414) 359-1074

Email: info@alliance1.org

The Alliance is an association representing private, nonprofit child and family service organizations. Its members provide an array of services ranging from residential care to domestic abuse prevention and intervention. The mission of the Alliance is to strengthen the ability of its members to serve and advocate for children, families, and communities. The Alliance was formed by a merger between Family Service America and the National Association of Homes and Services for Children in 1998.

nadid: 11144

Phone: (614) 827-1321

Toll-Free: (877) 402-7722

Fax: ( 614) 251-6005

Email: apsac@apsac.org

General Scope:The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) addresses all facets of the professional response to child maltreatment: prevention, assessment, intervention, and treatment.

APSAC is committed to:

• Preventing and eliminating the recurrence of child maltreatment;
• Promoting research and guidelines to inform professional practice;
• Connecting professionals from the many disciplines to promote the best response to child maltreatment; and
• Educating the public about child abuse and neglect.

Training Specific: APSAC's Advanced Training Institutes offer in-depth training on selected topics. taught by nationally recognized leaders in the field of child maltreatment.

nadid: 11141

Phone: (202) 336-5500

Toll-Free: (800) 274-2721

The Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice is committed to the application of psychological knowledge to advocacy, service delivery, and public policies affecting children, youth, and families. The Division advances research, education, training, and practice through a multi-disciplinary perspective. Division activities have focused on such topics as: divorce and custody, child abuse prevention, pediatric AIDS, drug-exposed infants, latchkey children, homelessness, and systems of care.

nadid: 11101

Phone: (202) 682-0100

Fax: (202) 289-6555

General Scope: The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) is an organization of individuals and agencies concerned with human services. APHSA's mission is to promote, develop, and implement public human service policies that improve the health and well-being of families and children.

As a major affiliate of APHSA, the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators (NAPCWA) represents administrators of State and local public child welfare agencies working to meet the goals outlined in APHSA's mission statement.

Training Specific: The APHSA website at http://www.aphsa.org/content/APHSA/en/the-association/our-leadership-and-staff.html provides training information on Leadership and Practice Development of Human Services Professionals. The Leadership and Practice Development Department (LPD) works to support and enhance the capacity of state and local human service agencies to improve outcomes by implementing new policies and effect major program reforms.

The National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA), an affiliate of APHSA's, provides a national forum for the discussion of staff development and training issues at the Federal, State, and local levels. To learn more about the NSDTA, visit its website at http://nsdta.aphsa.org/.

nadid: 11143

Phone: (202) 682-0100

Fax: (202) 289-6555

The Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children is a uniform State law establishing a contract among party States to ensure that children placed across state lines receive adequate protection and services. The primary function of the ICPC is to protect the interests of both the children and the States by requiring that certain procedures be followed in the interstate placement of children who are being adopted, placed with relatives, or going into residential care or foster family homes.

nadid: 11081

Phone: (240) 482-4968

Fax: (240) 482-3599

Email: bacw@cwla.org

Black Administrators in Child Welfare is committed to strengthening and supporting the healthy development of African American children, families, and communities through advocacy, leadership development, consultation, and training.

nadid: 11147

Toll-Free: (888) 572-6500

Email: info@brycs.org

General Scope: Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services (BRYCS) is a national technical assistance program addressing the challenges which refugee youth and children face in adjusting to life in the U. S. Its purpose is to broaden the scope of information and increase the collaboration among service providers for refugee youth, children and families.

BRYCS is a project of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops/Migration and Refugee Services (USCCB/MRS), and it is supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement.

nadid: 11210

Phone: (734) 764-9466

Fax: (734) 764-8128

Email: iscfc@emich.edu

The Center for Child and Family Programs (CCFP)has replaced the former National Foster Care Resource Center.

The goals of the CCFP are to enhance the lives of vulnerable children and families and to shape local, State, and national policies by working with public and private agencies to conduct research, demonstrate new models of service, develop training curricula and provide T/TA, conduct program evaluations, and develop policy recommendations.

nadid: 11211

Phone: (608) 257-3148

Fax: (608) 257-4686

General Scope: The Center for Family Policy and Practice is a nationally focused public policy organization conducting policy research, technical assistance, training, litigation, and public education in order to focus attention on the barriers faced by never-married, low-income fathers and their families. Current primary projects include: domestic violence and fatherhood and child welfare and fatherhood policy.

nadid: 12584

Phone: (202) 906-8000

Fax: (202) 842-2885

The Center for Law and Social Policy's work is concentrated on family policy and access to civil legal assistance for low-income families. Family policy projects include welfare reform, child welfare, and couples and marriage.

nadid: 11943

Phone: (202) 371-1565

Fax: (202) 371-1472

The mission of the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) is to develop and promote public policies and practices that support and strengthen families and help communities produce equal opportunities and better futures for children.

The Center coordinates the national Strengthening Families initiative which is being implemented in over half of all States. Strengthening Families engages early childhood programs and other unusual partners in preventing child abuse and neglect by building five, research-based, Protective Factors that are shown to be correlated with reduced incidence of child abuse and neglect. The Strengthening Families National Network provides tools, peer support, technical assistance, and other resources for States implementing Strengthening Families. For more information about this initiative, please see http://www.strengtheningfamilies.net.

nadid: 18682

Phone: (404) 639-3311

Phone: (404) 639-3534

Phone: 800-CDC-INFO

Toll-Free: (800) 273-TALK (8255)

TTY: (888) 232-6348

Email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the lead Federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people at home and abroad. CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of people in the United States.

nadid: 11158

Phone: (773) 256-5100

Fax: (773) 753-5940

Email: webmaster@chapinhall.org

Chapin Hall is a research and development center focusing on policies, practices, and programs affecting children and the families and communities in which they live. The Center devotes special attention to children facing significant problems such as abuse or neglect, poverty, and mental or physical illnesses, and to the service systems designed to address these problems.

nadid: 11160

Phone: (202) 688-4200

Fax: (202) 833-1689

Email: cwla@cwla.org

The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) is the oldest national organization serving vulnerable children, youth, and their families. CWLA provides training, consultation, and technical assistance to child welfare professionals and agencies while also educating the public on emerging issues that affect abused, neglected, and at-risk children. Through its publications, conferences, and teleconferences, CWLA shares information on emerging trends, specific topics in child welfare practice (family foster care, kinship care, adoption, positive youth development), and Federal and State policies.

nadid: 11165

Phone: (480) 922-8212

Toll-Free: (800) 4AC-HILD

TDD: (800) 2AC-HILD

Fax: (480) 922-7061

Childhelp® is dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect. Childhelp’s approach focuses on prevention, intervention and treatment. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4-A-CHILD®, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. Childhelp’s programs and services also include residential treatment services; children’s advocacy centers; therapeutic foster care; group homes; child abuse prevention, education and training; and the National Day of Hope®, part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month every April.

nadid: 11162

Phone: (800) 233-1200

Phone: (202) 628-8787

Email: cdfinfo@childrensdefense.org

The Children's Defense Fund focuses on key issues affecting the well-being of children by helping develop, implement, and monitor State and Federal policies. CDF gathers and disseminates data on children, promotes public education, provides technical assistance to State and local child advocates, and pursues an annual Federal legislative agenda.

nadid: 11168

Phone: (859) 255-2200

Fax: (712) 948-3704

Email: admin@childrenshealthcare.org

Children's Healthcare is a Legal Duty was established to protect children from abusive religious and cultural practices, especially religion-based medical neglect. CHILD opposes religious exemptions from duties to care for children.

nadid: 11169

Phone: (212) 206-1090

Fax: (212) 206-8093

Email: chcfinc@chcfinc.org

The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF) strives to strengthen the family, develop self-sufficiency, and improve the quality of life for all Latino children and families. CHCF'S programs include youth development, childcare, HIV/AIDS prevention and education, Latino immigrant and support and referral services, public policy, and advocacy.

nadid: 13209

Phone: (650) 948-7658

Fax: (650) 941-2273

One of the major program areas of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation is the Children, Families, and Communities Program. The Program focuses on children's access to high-quality health care, the development of children and youth, the economic security of families, and the reduction of violence in homes.

The "Future of Children" is a publication of this Program. The primary purpose of this journal is to promote effective policies and programs for children by providing policymakers and service providers with objective information based on the best available research.

nadid: 11174

Phone: (202) 223-8177

Fax: (202) 223-8499

Email: info@everychildmatters.org

By employing systematic public education campaigns, Every Child Matters Education Fund provides opportunities for focusing public attention on children’s issues including the prevention of child abuse and neglect. The Every Child Matters Education Fund works with children's organizations and volunteers to conduct campaigns of public opinion polling, press outreach, and community and voter outreach. Links to individual State activities are provided.

nadid: 13840

Phone: (202) 464-7005

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is dedicated to reviewing research about what really works and what does not work to keep children from becoming criminals.

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids strives to educate policymakers, the mass media, and the public through briefings about effective crime prevention programs while also serving as an information clearinghouse for journalists, policymakers, and the public. Major topics of interest include child abuse and neglect prevention, prevention programs for prekindergartners, bullying prevention, and more.

nadid: 13069

Phone: (734) 487- 0372

Fax: (734) 487 - 0284

Email: iscfc@emich.edu

The Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Communities, at Eastern Michigan University, explores contemporary issues and enriches family and community life through the application of scholarly research and practical expertise, innovative projects and leadership in collaborative problem-solving efforts.

The Institute operates through four Centers, including the Center for Child and Family Programs (CCFP). The CCFP has replaced the National Foster Care Resource Center at the Institute. While the CCFP maintains a strong commitment to child welfare and foster care, it has broadened its focus to reflect diverse community needs as well as children and youth in crisis.

nadid: 13355

Phone: (443) 451-1200

Fax: (410) 230-2741

Email: question@iss-usa.org

The International Social Services organization provides services to families and individuals regarding problems that cross national boundaries, including inter-country adoptions. ISS-USA also offers consultation and advocacy services on child welfare issues.

nadid: 11040

Phone: (720) 449-6010

Fax: (720) 449-6012

Email: ispcan@ispcan.org

The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) is the only multidisciplinary international organization that brings together a global cross-section of committed professionals to work towards the prevention and treatment of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

ISPCAN's mission is to prevent cruelty to children in every nation, in every form: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, street children, child fatalities, child prostitution, children of war, emotional abuse, and child labor.

nadid: 11070

Phone: (303) 864-5320

Toll-Free: (888) 828-NACC

Fax: (303) 864-5351

Email: advocate@NACCchildlaw.org

The National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC) works to improve the legal protection and representation of children by training and educating child advocates and by effecting policy and legal systems change. The NACC sponsors conferences and seminars on important issues confronting child advocates and files amicus curiae briefs in selected court cases affecting children. The Association also has a legislative agenda, a national child advocate awards program, and a speakers bureau.

nadid: 11130

Phone: (202) 833-2220

Toll-Free: (800) 556-2234

Fax: (202) 833-8222

Email: moreinfo@nbcdi.org

The National Black Child Development Center's mission is to improve and protect the well-being of African American children. The Center sponsors a national training conference, provides publications and curricula, and advocates for public policy on child welfare issues such as kinship care, foster care, and permanency planning.

nadid: 11133

Phone: (202) 784-9770

Fax: (202) 784-9777

The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health provides national leadership to the maternal and child health community in program development, policy analysis and education, and state-of-the-art knowledge with the goal of improving the health and well-being of the nation's children and families. A multidisciplinary faculty and staff collaborates with Federal agencies, corporate, philanthropic and other professional organizations, and academic institutions to develop national health initiatives, develop and disseminate materials, and provide a virtual library.

nadid: 11031

Toll-Free: 1-866-9NCMHJJ

Email: ncmhjj@prainc.com

The National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (NCMHJJ) promotes awareness of the mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system and assists the field in developing improved policies and programs based on research and practice.

Major support for the Center comes from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

nadid: 11207

Fax: (501) 835-8099

TTY: (510) 835-8098

Email: info@youthlaw.org

The National Center for Youth Law is a private, nonprofit law office offering assistance to attorneys and organizations seeking legal remedies to protect children from the harms of poverty. The Center works to protect abused and neglected children, expand health care for children and youth, secure public benefits to meet their special needs, and improve child support collection. The Center produces the annual Foster Care Reform Litigation Docket.

nadid: 11026

Email: nationalchildabusecoalition@gmail.com

The National Child Abuse Coalition is a membership organization that focuses its attention on advocating at the Federal level on behalf of abused and neglected children and their families.

The Coalition publishes the Washington Memorandum, a subscription newsletter, which provides updates on Federal governmental activities related to child abuse and neglect and child welfare. For subscription information, please contact bircht@earthlink.net.

nadid: 12107

Phone: (256) 533-5437

Fax: (256) 534-6883

Email: webmaster@nationalcac.org

General Scope: The National Children's Advocacy Center provides prevention, intervention, and treatment services to physically and sexually abused children and their families with a child-focused team approach. NCAC also operates the Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center, which provides education and training to support the development of Children's Advocacy Centers nationwide.

Training Specific: The NCAC is one of the providers of training for professionals working with abused children and their families. These trainings are both multidisciplinary and discipline-specific. Training resources include:

• National Conferences (National Symposium on Child Abuse and the National Conference on Child Sexual Abuse Prevention)
• Training Courses include three new trainings for professionals: Prosecuting Child Abuse 101: An Advocacy Course on Child Sexual Abuse, Victim Advocacy 101: Working with Child Victims and Witnesses, and Investigating Child Abuse 101: A Course for Law Enforcement Officers.
• Online Trainings (For those who cannot travel to one of the national conferences or the NCAC National Training Center, a series of free online training is available. Academy Online is designed to be viewed by either individuals or groups of child abuse professionals.)
• Additional Training Opportunities (The NCAC develops and delivers customized training sessions on a number of topics. These trainings can be delivered on-site at the NCAC Training Center in Huntsville, AL, or in the host community.) Additional information about all of these training resources is available online at http://www.nationalcac.org/training-opportunities.

nadid: 11032

Phone: (703) 212-2006

Email: info@NCCPR.org

The National Coalition for Child Protection Reform (NCCPR) works to make the child welfare system better serve America's most vulnerable children by trying to change policies concerning child abuse, foster care and family preservation.

nadid: 19664

Phone: (303) 364-7700

Phone: (202) 624-5400

Fax: (303) 364-7800

Fax: (202) 737-1069

Email: info@ncsl.org

The National Conference of State Legislatures promotes information sharing by tracking legislation and policy issues in State legislatures and the effect of Federal initiatives on the States. The NCSL offers information, publications, conferences, consulting services, and professional development seminars. The NCSL also advocates for the States by lobbying, testifying, and collaborating on Capitol Hill.

nadid: 11027

Phone: (212) 645-4048

Fax: (212) 645-7466

Email: action@ncjw.org

The National Council of Jewish Women is a volunteer organization that seeks to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families. The Council works to ensure individual rights and freedom through research, education, advocacy and community service.

nadid: 11113

Phone: (206) 774-7250

Toll-Free: (800) 628-3233

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children is a network of 933 community-based programs that recruit, train and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities. Volunteer advocates—empowered directly by the courts—offer judges the critical information they need to ensure that each child’s rights and needs are being attended to while in foster care.

nadid: 11021

Phone: (202) 783-7949

Fax: (202) 783-7955

Email: member@nn4youth.org

The National Network engages in public education efforts and promotes the delivery of high-quality programs and services by agencies serving youth. The organization also provides training and technical assistance in Community Youth Development, youth leadership, peer education, HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention, grant writing, and organizational development. The National Network for Youth also advocates for key legislation and spending affecting youth.

nadid: 11022

Phone: (312) 663-3520

Fax: (312) 939-8962

Email: mailbox@preventchildabuse.org

Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA) is committed to promoting legislation, policies, and programs that help prevent child abuse and neglect, support healthy childhood development, and strengthen families. Working with State chapters, PCCA provides leadership to promote and implement prevention efforts at the national and local levels.

PCAA's research arm is the National Center on Child Abuse Prevention Research and Resources http://preventchildabuse.org/resources/.. The Center provides a link between research and practice by developing and evaluating prevention strategies, and by disseminating information about child abuse maltreatment and its prevention across the country.

nadid: 11034

Phone: (802) 247-3132

Fax: (802) 247-4233

General Scope: The Safer Society Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit agency, is a national research, advocacy, and referral center on the prevention and treatment of sexual abuse. The Foundation provides training and consultation, research, sex offender treatment referrals, a computerized program network, and a resource library. It also publishes materials for the prevention and treatment of sexual abuse.

Training Specific: The Safer Society will help individuals, agencies, states, and organizations develop specialized training institutes on current and emerging topics related to sexual abuse prevention and treatment. To identify professional trainers or to set up a training event, please call for further information.

nadid: 11035

Phone: (410) 825-8888

Fax: (410) 825-8888

Email: sidran@sidran.org

The Sidran Institute, a leader in traumatic stress education and advocacy, is a nationally focused nonprofit organization devoted to helping people who have experienced traumatic life events. The Institute promotes improved understanding of the early recognition and treatment of trauma-related stress in children, the long-term effects of trauma on adults, and strategies that lead to the greatest success in self-help recovery for trauma survivors. The Sidran Institute also advocates clinical practices considered successful in aiding trauma victims and the development of public policy initiatives that are responsive to the needs of adult and child survivors of traumatic events.

nadid: 11038

Phone: (202) 833-7200

Phone: (202) 261-5709

Toll-Free: (877) 847-7877

Email: paffairs@ui.urban.org

The Urban Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy, research, and educational organization established to examine the social, economic, and governance problems facing the nation. The Institute provides information and analysis to public and private decision makers and strives to improve citizen understanding of the issues and tradeoffs in policy-making. Among the Urban Institute's Policy Centers are population studies, communities, health, education, and social policy.

nadid: 11014