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Mount Nittany Health is pleased to announce that its Children’s Advocacy Center earned reaccreditation by National Children’s Alliance following an extensive application and site review process.
As the accrediting agency for Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country, National Children’s Alliance awards various levels of accreditation and membership to centers responding to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient, and put the needs of child victims of abuse first. Accreditation is the highest level of membership with National Children’s Alliance and denotes excellence in service provision.
Accredited Centers must undergo a reaccreditation process every five years to ensure that best practices are continually being applied. Children’s Advocacy Center of Centre County, Mount Nittany Health, first earned this accreditation in 2014, shortly after its opening.
“At the core of our mission, the Children’s Advocacy Center works to provide help and healing for children and families in our region. We are proud of this reaccreditation and the opportunity it provides to recognize the important work of the staff, physicians and board at our Children’s Advocacy Center,” says Kathleen Rhine, president and CEO, Mount Nittany Health. “For five years, our Center has brought together a multi-disciplinary team, including law enforcement, child protective services, physicians and others, to investigate and intervene on behalf of children, allowing them to safely share their stories and begin the healing process.”
National Children’s Alliance awards accredited membership based on a Center’s compliance with 10 national standards of accreditation to ensure effective, efficient and consistent delivery of services to child abuse victims. National Children’s Alliance also considers standards regarding a Center’s cultural competency and diversity, forensic interviews, victim support and advocacy, medical evaluation, therapeutic intervention and child focused setting.
“The Children’s Advocacy Center of Centre County is to be commended for its continued commitment to effectively serve victims of child abuse. As the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country, our goal is to ensure that every victim of child abuse has access to high quality services that result from professional collaboration. By requiring accredited Centers to undergo reaccreditation every five years, we ensure that evidence-based practices are being implemented and the highest quality of service is being provided,” says Teresa Huizar, executive director, National Children’s Alliance.
For more information about the Children’s Advocacy Center, visit mountnittany.org/childadvocacycenter.
