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Training Opportunities
CornerHouse Minnesota Training Programs
- Forensic Interview Training - This training teaches the CornerHouse Forensic Interview Protocol RATAC®: a credible, reliable, developmentally flexible and non-traumatic forensic interview protocol appropriate for children and vulnerable adults who allege sexual abuse. These courses are designed for teams of law enforcement and child protection investigators, prosecutors, and forensic interviewers.
- Advanced Forensic Interview Training - This training course is for child protection workers, tribal social service workers, law enforcement officers, and county attorneys who have completed the required prerequisites. The course teaches advanced forensic interviewing skills including; modifications to the CornerHouse RATAC® interview protocol for physical abuse and other violent crimes, physical evidence in the forensic interview, autism spectrum disorders, multi-session forensic interviews, a mock cross examination demonstration and active participation in peer review using a variety of written assessment tools.
- Mandated Reporter Training - This one-day training is designed for child care providers, teachers, health care workers, therapists, patrol officers, advocates and other professionals who have a mandated responsibility to report suspected child maltreatment. This course teaches the CornerHouse RIFCR process for talking with children and vulnerable adults regarding suspected maltreatment. Attendees will also learn to discern normal child sexual development from concerning behaviors, the dynamics and disclosure process of child sexual abuse, and how to effectively report suspected maltreatment.
- Minimal Facts Training - This one-day seminar is designed for first-responders such as law enforcement officers and medical professionals who have responsibility for gathering minimal facts from children regarding allegations of abuse. A process is taught that professionals can utilize when talking with a child or vulnerable adult suspected of being a victim of maltreatment. This process will assist in gathering enough information about the allegation to make a mandated report without interfering with the investigative process.
- ChildFirst™ Training - The ChildFirst course is a five-day forensic interviewing course for prosecutors, law enforcement, child protection and forensic interviewers. It is presented, in partnership, by CornerHouse and the National Child Protection Training Center (NCPTC). The CornerHouse training model brings the expertise of trainers who are also practicing forensic interviewers, a research-based and developmentally flexible interview protocol developed by CornerHouse (RATAC®), a multi-disciplinary team approach to training, integration of pertinent research in the field, and an emphasis on outcomes through a written exam and interview practicum exercises. Attorneys and other staff from NCPTC bring expertise in legal aspects of the child abuse investigation including testifying in court, preparing children for court, corroboration, suggestibility and extensive research and case law knowledge. This collaboration makes the course truly multi-disciplinary in its design and execution.
- CornerHouse Presents Give Them A Voice – Forensic Interviews of Child Victims and Witnesses - Give Them a Voice consists of a video and study guide that can serve to provide child protection, law enforcement, legal professionals, forensic interviewers and students with demonstrations of forensically sound interviewing practices, yet still conveys a realistic semblance of the challenges presented in actual forensic interviews.
National Child Protection Training Center Webinars
The National Child Protection Training Center presents webinars the third Thursday of every month at 2:00 CST. Professionals usually can receive educational credits and are able to more carefully choose presentations that directly apply to their field.
- Forensic Interviewer as an Expert Witness
Date: Thursday, December 15th, 2011
Presenter: Victor Vieth, JD, NCPTC Executive Director
This webinar explores emerging attacks from defense “experts” called to critique a forensic interview. - Developing Mandated Reporting Policies for Your Organization
Date: Thursday, January 19th, 2012
Presenter: Amy Russell, JD, NCPTC Deputy Director
This session will identify concrete suggestions for agencies and organizations that will aid in developing and implementing policies more likely to keep children safe. - Working With Our Multidisciplinary Teams
Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012
Presenter: Rita Johnson, NCPTC Forensic Interview Specialist
The webinar is designed for multidisciplinary team members actively conducting forensic interviews with minors involving child abuse allegations and maltreatment. - When Words Hurt: Investigating/Prosecuting Cases of Emotional Maltreatment
Date: Thursday, March 15th, 2012
Presenter: Victor Vieth, JD, NCPTC Executive Director
Students will receive an overview of the literature concerning the emotional abuse of a child and will receive concrete suggestions for investigating these cases. - How Do I Defend My Interview in Court
Date: Thursday, April 19th, 2012
Presenter: Rita Johnson, NCPTC Forensic Interview Specialist
The webinar will provide students concrete suggestions for defending their work in court and how to prepare for testifying in court. - Human Trafficking & Children: Its Impact
Date: Thursday, May 17th, 2012
Presenter: Lori Woodward, JWRC Program Coordinator
In this presentation, the impact of human trafficking of children will be discussed. We will talk about how it happens, the negative trauma children face, who can help, and how to go forward. - Domestic Violence and Child Abuse in Divorce and Custody Cases
Date: Thursday, June 21st, 2012
Presenter: Amy Russell, JD, NCPTC Deputy Director
This seminar will discuss the frequency of domestic violence and child abuse allegations in custody and visitation disputes and how safety outcomes may be improved in court cases for victims of interpersonal violence and their children. - Interviewing Youg Children
Date: Thursday, July 19th, 2012
Presenter: Rita Johnson, NCPTC Forensic Interview Specialist
The webinar will focus on forensic interviews with young child victims of child abuse and maltreatment and will provide concrete suggestions for working with very young children. - Cultural Competence in the Forensic Interview
Date: Thursday, August 16th, 2012
Presenter: Angie Scott, Winona State CAST Professor - Parental Alienation Syndrome
Date: Thursday, September 20th, 2012
Presenter: Amy Russell, JD, NCPTC Deputy Director - Peer Review
Date: Thursday, October 18th, 2012
Presenters: Victor Vieth, JD, NCPTC Executive Director & Amy Russell, JD, NCPTC Deputy Director - Suggestibility
Date: Thursday, November 17th, 2012
Presenter: Victor Vieth, JD, NCPTC Executive Director - Using Peer Review with an Eye Towards Corroboration
Date: Thursday, December 20th, 2012
Presenter: Victor Vieth, JD, NCPTC Executive Director
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Serving as an Expert Witness
- Finding Words in Court: The Forensic Interviewer as Expert Witness – National Child Protection Training Center Article
- On Wearing Two Hats: Role Conflict in Serving as Both Psychotherapist and Expert Witness – Am. J. Psychiatry Article
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Compassion Fatigue - Compassion fatigue, formerly known as “burn-out,” refers to a physical, emotional and spiritual fatigue or exhaustion that takes over a person and causes a decline in his or her ability to experience joy or to feel and care for others. Compassion fatigue is a one-way street, in which individuals are giving out a great deal of energy and compassion to others over a period of time, yet aren’t able to get enough back to reassure themselves that the world is a hopeful place. It’s this constant outputting of compassion and caring over time that can lead to these feelings.
Click here to access resources to combat compassion fatigue
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Secondary Trauma - Secondary trauma is the stress resulting from helping or wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person. Front-line social workers and health care providers who work with victims of trauma are especially susceptible to suffering from secondary trauma.
- The Cost of Caring: Secondary Traumatic Stress - Children and Family Services Training Center, University of North Dakota
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National Center for Victims of Crime Bibliographies
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Mandatory Reporting of Child Maltreatment Laws
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Filing a Civil Lawsuit – Information for Service Providers
Sometimes, a crime victim will have the ability to file a civil lawsuit in order to recover dasmages relating to the crime. This link is to The National Center for Victims of Crime website page that provides information to service providers about this process.
Click here to contact the attorneys at Jeff Anderson & Associates