Agency Overview

Proudly serving as Louisiana’s first Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), the nationally accredited Jefferson Children’s Advocacy Center was created with the primary purpose of coordinating a culturally sensitive, community-focused, interagency response to child abuse, neglect and child witnesses of traumatic events. We function as part of a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) that includes, but is not limited to: Law Enforcement, Social Services, Prosecutors, Medical, Mental Health and Victim Advocacy Professionals.

We accomplish this through:

  1. Forensic Interviews – Our specially trained Forensic Interviewers work with Law Enforcement and the Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) to minimize the number of times children must tell their stories. All interviews are developmentally sensitive, legally sound and conducted in a child friendly, neutral environment.
  2. Forensic Medical Referrals/Accompaniment – All children seen at the JCAC are scheduled for a specialized medical evaluation to ensure their health and safety, to document any evidence of abuse and to refer for additional care, as needed.
  3. Mental Health Services – Our Therapists offer specialized trauma-focused, evidence-based mental health services to assist children and families cope with trauma and to help them through the healing process.
  4. Child Advocacy/Case Management – Our Community Care Coordinator focuses on the needs of the children and the non-offending caregiver(s) by providing needed moral support and links to other community resources that the family may need during and after the completion of their case.
  5. Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) – We coordinate our local MDT to ensure an effective response to reports of child abuse and neglect. Our MDT meets bi-monthly to discuss action plans for recent investigations and updates on past cases.
  6. Prevention – Our staff offers education, prevention and community awareness presentations and trainings on relevant and vital child safety issues.

JCAC Office Hours

Monday-Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Purpose of Internship

  • Become familiar with policies and procedures for the JCAC and develop a working knowledge of the community’s overall response to child endangerment and maltreatment.
  • Become familiar with direct service components of victim advocacy, forensic evaluation, crisis response, treatment, case management and tracking through a continuum of care program.
  • Begin to develop his/her own personal client interaction style and philosophy. Be able to further develop his/her interpersonal communication and administrative skills.
  • Participate in at least one experience through each of the following: clerical duties, data collection/outcome measurement, grant management, special event planning/fundraising/marketing, prevention education, child/caregiver interactions at various points throughout the crisis response cycle, interactions with community collaborators and training/workshop presentations.
  • Participate in agency staffings, multi-disciplinary team meetings, and training/workshops to be able to understand clinical interaction and supervision, as well as group/community psychodynamics and collaboration.

Qualifications

All applicants must:

  • Be currently enrolled in a Master’s level program and seeking course requirements
  • Complete an application, background check, and reference check.
  • Students should have completed coursework in human development, family studies, and other fields related to working with at-risk youth and adults.
  • Sign a confidentiality form and maintain the highest level of confidentiality at all times
  • Dress in a manner that is appropriate to greet the public and represent the organization.
  • Bicultural and bilingual students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

  • General Office – Duties may include, but are not limited to: answering phones, data entry, case tracking, filing, preparing caregiver packets and cleaning up, as needed.
  • Client/Caregiver Interaction – Duties may include: calling caregivers for appointment reminders, helping caregivers’ complete paperwork, talking with the child and or families before the interview, completing a needs assessment with caregivers while the children are being interviewed, helping caregivers complete the exit survey, conducting follow-up calls and connecting non-offending caregivers with resources in the community.
  • Community Education and Prevention – Duties may include: assisting the Director, or other JCAC staff in providing child abuse prevention trainings, informational fairs and/or workshops in the community, as well as program/material development.
  • Other – Duties may include: assisting with fundraising activities and events, social media, grant writing and/or management.

Other Considerations

It is important to understand that the JCAC provides direct services to a highly specialized population. Interns will be working with clients and family members suffering from trauma related to child sexual abuse, other child abuse and neglect, as well as witnesses to violent crimes (including homicide, rape, accidental death, grief and loss). The trauma experienced can be very complex and challenging, yet very rewarding.

It is critical for interns to be open and honest with their supervisor about their feelings and reactions to what they see and/or hear throughout the day. They must also be emotionally stable and engage in self-care on a regular basis.

***This is an unpaid internship ***

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