30 Years Protecting Children

30 YEARS PROTECTING CHILDREN 2018 2017 - 2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Vice President Secretary Colby Simon Jason White Jamie Smith Child Advocate Manager – EIS Planning & Project Clinical Social Worker Management Exelon Power Vice President Immediate Past President Todd Pattison Treasurer Jennifer Sachs CEO, MaxSent Meggan Saulo Educator Vice President, Compensation Operations Legg Mason Hirsh Ament Carrie Freshour Laura Neuman Associate Chief Operating Officer Entrepreneur/Public Servant Venable, LLP Araminta Freedom Initiative Millicent Newhouse Julia Arfaa Ashley Fundack Director of Externships Attorney, Arfaa Law Group Associate Professor University of Baltimore, School Notre Dame of Maryland of Law Stuart Blumenthal University Dentist Katherine O’Doherty Jackie Gifford Art Therapist Christopher S. Carroll Director, Hedge Fund Sheppard Pratt Health System Senior Account Executive Investments Kelly Benefit Strategies The Annie E. Casey Foundation Ida Samet Health Consultant Brett Cohen Tom Lowe Owner TerraForm John Sherman Kitchen Saver CEO, Storyfarm Camille Mihalic Heather Dondis Advocate Bridget Stickline VP, Content Strategy Owner, WeeChic Boutique Enterprise Marketing John Murkey T. Rowe Price Senior Vice President BB&T Stacey Flood Rev. Brian Murray Vice President & Team Lead, New Covenant Community Greater Baltimore Middle Market Church M&T Bank OUR MISSION Baltimore Child Abuse Center provides caregivers and victims of child sexual abuse, trauma, and other Adverse Childhood Experiences with comprehensive forensic interviews, and medical and mental health treatment with a goal of preventing future trauma. CONTENTS LEADING CHILD PROTECTION 02 FOR THIRTY YEARS THE FABRIC OF BCAC: 04 4 TEAMS THAT BLAZE A TRAIL REFLECTING ON 30 YEARS 09 OF PROTECTING CHILDREN 10 2017 BY THE NUMBERS 11 DECADE OF CHANGE AT BCAC UNDERSTANDING CHILDHOOD 13 TRAUMA 15 30 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP 19 MEET MANNY! MANDATORY REPORTERS: 20 FOOT SOLDIERS IN THE WAR ON CHILD ABUSE 23 BCAC COMMUNITY HEROES 2018 2018 in Review BCAC moves BCAC purchases BCAC unveils to larger first building public facility to with partners awareness 1987 accommodate 1997 co-locating 2008 campaign 2010 on-site services on site “What you medical clinic don’t know can hurt me” Stuart Simms and BCAC employs Adam BCAC launches Patricia Jessamy first use of Rosenberg 24 hour create the Children’s colposcopic becomes Forensic Rapid Advocacy Network camera for Executive Response which later becomes medical exams Director and DIVAS Baltimore Child 1994 to minimize 2001 2009 teen survivor Abuse Center trauma program LEADING CHILD PROTECTION FOR THIRTY YEARS This year Baltimore Child Abuse at The Associated: Jewish Community Center (BCAC) celebrates its thirtieth Federation of Baltimore) became anniversary, as steadfast as ever in Executive Director in 2008, he took its mission to provide a voice for the BCAC to the next level. He adopted a voiceless. In this moment of #metoo, child-centric approach, which led to USA Gymnastics and countless other 24-hour forensic interview services atrocities against children, BCAC has and expanded the definition of child never been more vital. Breaking the victims that qualify for BCAC support. silence one child at a time, reaching In the wake of the Jerry Sandusky out to communities on ways to better case of 2011, it was evident that the protect children, and providing current system in place protecting kids resources and training to get ahead of was failing, and thus BCAC ramped Being the third such center in the child abuse before it happens, BCAC up its advocacy efforts for better laws country, Jessamy and Simms took continues to evolve, year after year, and expanded trainings and services a leap of faith that proved to be an into the best version of itself. beyond child abuse and beyond the instant success. In the early years, borders of Baltimore. BCAC focused on forensic interviewing To understand where BCAC is going, and providing the best treatment it is important to visit its past. Before A cornerstone of BCAC’s success has for its kids. They soon expanded to BCAC, agencies investigating abuse also been fostering fantastic partners - include expert on-site medical services, worked in silos and children were relationships forged through co-writing community outreach programs and interviewed multiple times, re- legislation, cohosting events, or just support groups. This rate of expansion traumatizing them by an inefficient working the same case. Co-location has not ceased. Just in the last five process that was meant to protect with some of these partners also years, BCAC has rolled out tools and them. In 1987, Baltimore City State’s plays a big part. Over the years three held trainings across the country Attorney Stuart Simms and his chief Baltimore Police Department Units for youth-serving organizations to Deputy Patricia Jessamy founded (Child Abuse, Missing Persons, and minimize their risk of abuse, launched BCAC because they saw the need for Family Crimes), Baltimore City Child an on-site mental health unit, and an organization that helped kids in the Protective Services, sex abuse unit, and acquired its very own facility dog for aftermath of trauma and supported most recently, advocates, attorneys, emotional support in and out of the the community through education and and therapists from the Office of the forensic interview room. advocacy. With BCAC there became Baltimore City State’s Attorney and the one point of contact for the child House of Ruth (a domestic violence BCAC continues to blossom thanks and a trauma informed organization program) have all been housed in the to transformative leadership and coordinating services on their behalf same building. strong inter-agency partnerships. from medical, to investigative, to When Adam Rosenberg (a former sex counseling and follow-up support in a crimes prosecutor and Vice President child friendly space. 2 30 YEARS PROTECTING CHILDREN BCAC launches Project BCAC partners BCAC gets Protect, training with MATCH a new staff initiatives and audit and BCDSS to member, 2011 services for summer 2014 conduct foster 2016 Manny, the 2018 camps and youth care medical facility dog serving organizations exams BCAC advocates for BCAC launches its BCAC finalist passage of “Erin’s Blueprint for Child in national BCAC holds Law” legislation Protection, a three Chase Bank its first Be A to make sure all year effort to redefine Competition Hero gala event featuring Sugar children learn in child protection in 2013 Ray Leonard 2015 schools how to Northwest Baltimore prevent abuse 2017 Major Steven Hohman of BPD explains and as we see in the wake of recent some of the benefits: school massacres, kids can mobilize too. “There needs to be a national movement about protecting children and childhood. Not working at them, “BCAC is a one-stop shop. It makes the process but working with them.” This youthful easier for the survivor and their family because optimism is felt throughout the halls all the resources and wrap-around services are of BCAC, where everyone manages to maintain hope and positivity in a right there, without delay. BCAC also provides field full of heartache. BCAC Board a seamless workflow that is hugely beneficial President Colby Simon affirms that to the case. We can walk down the hall and relied upon by lawmakers, leaders, “BCAC is the lighthouse in a sea of change. People are constantly coming discuss cases in real-time and bounce ideas off and decision makers as the experts on child protection. BCAC takes this and going in the field of youth services each other. There’s also this proactive approach role seriously and has full-time staff and families need to know there’s a that we engage in to get in front of things, in Annapolis fighting to increase constant presence in their lives. BCAC provides that long-term security, and like precautionary interviews, data analysis to protections for Maryland’s kids. Neil Meltzer, President and CEO of that shelter from the storm.” BCAC has recognize risk… it’s a collaborative effort.” LifeBridge Health, explains their a long life ahead and the energy to role as such: make things happen. Here’s to another thirty, BCAC! While it’s important to be trusted by colleagues, for BCAC it is even more important to be trusted and well known “Adam and his team are fearless advocates among Baltimore’s families, youth for the population they serve. Not only can organizations, and children. BCAC gets they“ articulate the problem, they have the facts its message out to the community through events like an annual and figures to back up their claims and can Superhero Walk, a free, family-friendly champion the need to improve how these cases event that raises awareness about are handled, both in Maryland and across the child abuse in Baltimore City, and its Be A Hero Gala, which has raised over country. Adam is seen as a national expert a million dollars for victims of abuse in his field and is called upon to help other and violence and featured VIPs such as organizations around the country.” Sugar Ray Leonard and Robin Quivers. This year, an 80’s DJ party with Biz Markie will cap off the gala – it promises to be unforgettable! Looking to the future, BCAC Executive Director Adam Rosenberg foresees a By analyzing data and interacting wave of change coming in the field of with the community, BCAC can protecting childhood and child abuse ” better understand the needs of awareness. Kids are starting to speak neighborhoods and kids. BCAC out, and lawmakers are starting to uses this knowledge to inform child listen. Change happens when people advocacy work. Their expertise is are emboldened by the brave few, 30 YEARS PROTECTING CHILDREN 3 THE FABRIC OF BCAC: 4 TEAMS THAT BLAZE A TRAIL Organizational success requires hard work done by a dedicated team – a team empowered to come up with creative solutions and one that works together as a unit.

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