Please find the full list of NCA Accreditation Standards here.
Note: These do not satisfy the requirements for foundational training but are for continuing education in practice areas.
Workshop Session 3 (3:00 PM – 4:30 PM)
3A. “Non-Verbal” What it Means and Why an Interview is Still Possible
Dermot Whelan Police Sgt. Ret., Modell Consulting Group
This workshop is intended for professionals who want to learn how to communicate with individuals who do not speak or who are considered “non-verbal.” This workshop will discuss adaptations to account for individuals who do not speak, use gestures, use a communication device, or speak few words. Through this workshop, participants will have an increased understanding of verbal behavior and communication methods; increased knowledge of communication considerations when interviewing someone who does not speak; and learn reliable and legally defensible techniques that can be applied in interviews.
About the Presenter:
Dermot Whelan is a Senior Consultant for Modell Consulting Group, LLC. Mr. Whelan was instrumental in the development of an advanced Forensic Interviewing Protocol for interviewing individuals with disabilities (Project FIND) and older adults (SAFE). Prior to joining MCG, Mr. Whelan served as a Criminal Investigator with the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Mr. Whelan was primarily responsible for conducting and supervising criminal investigations stemming from allegations of abuse and neglect against vulnerable people who receive services through New York State-operated, licensed, or certified agencies.
NCA Accreditation Standards:
Standards 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B
3B. What Happens After Age 18? Improving Our Response to Trafficked Transition-Age Youth
Abigail Judge, Ph.D., Sgt. Det. Marc Sullivan, Sandra Andrade, Boston Human Exploitation and Sex Trafficking (HEAT)
Childhood commercial sexual exploitation continues into young adulthood for many individuals, but the clinical and legal response to trafficked transition-aged youth (TAY; ages 16-25) is more variable and less developed. This workshop will describe which TAY are most vulnerable to continuous victimization, the role of substance use disorder, and unique clinical, law enforcement, and criminal justice challenges.
The presenters have developed an innovative collaboration for supporting trafficked young adults and adults in Boston that integrates law enforcement, clinical, and lived experience, and they will discuss the critical role of community partnerships in this work.
About the Presenters:
Abigail M. Judge, Ph.D., is a clinical and forensic psychologist who has specialized in supporting women impacted by commercial sexual exploitation as a therapist, educator and expert witness for 15 years. Dr. Judge is on staff at Massachusetts General Hospital and the clinical faculty at Harvard Medical School. She is a Founder and Co-Director of Boston Human Exploitation Advocacy Team (HEAT), an innovative outreach model that has been honored by the Commissioner of the Boston Police Department, U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI.
Sergeant Detective Marc Sullivan has worked at the Boston Police Department since 1997. He leads the Department’s Human Trafficking Unit (HTU), which employs a proactive, victim-centered approach in addressing all forms of human trafficking. Sgt. Det. Sullivan is also a Task Force Officer for the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, and he sits on the Governor’s Human Trafficking Subcommittee. He is a co-founder of HEAT and educates all level of law enforcement about human trafficking.
Sandra Andrade Co-Directs Boston HEAT and is also the Senior Peer Advocate at the Dee Kennedy Project at Dorchester and Roxbury District Courts. Ms. Andrade has supported sexually exploited women in a range of community settings for over 5 years, including courts, a safe house, jail, and HEAT's street outreach program. Ms. Andrade is an invited member of the Governor’s Human Trafficking Subcommittee, and her peer advocacy at Boston HEAT was honored with a 2024-2025 ATLIS Fellowship from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Trafficking in Persons.
NCA Accreditation Standards:
Standards 1B, 4B,5B
Optional Standard 1A: CSEC
3C. Sexting, Sextortion, and Generative Artificial Intelligence - Updating Internet Safety Messages to Counter the Latest Threats
Alejandra Monroy, M.S., National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) introduces new opportunities but also significant risks, especially in the realm of online safety. At the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, we see cases where youth-produced content and GAI-generated images are used for exploitation, raising complex prevention challenges. This workshop will discuss how to update prevention messaging for different age groups, apply a trauma-informed approach, and share free resources to help communities address these issues.
About the Presenter:
Alejandra Monroy is the Prevention Program Manager for Outreach & Prevention at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), where she leads prevention education programs focused on child protection. Previously, she worked at D.C.’s Children’s Advocacy Center as a Client Advocate and Prevention Specialist, supporting families impacted by child sexual abuse and facilitating prevention training. Her career spans education, public health, and social impact, and she holds a Master of Science in Health and the Public Interest from Georgetown University and is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Human Development at Harvard University.
NCA Accreditation Standards:
Standards 1B 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B
Optional Standard 1A: CSEC
3D. The Death of Emily Hampshire: A Multi-Disciplinary Teams’ Battle for Justice and the Community Struggle to Understand a Mother’s Actions
(Physical Abuse Case Study)
Kathleen Nolan, Zero Abuse Project
Emily Hampshire celebrated her 14th birthday on October 22, 2018. On November 3, 2018, Emily was dead. The investigation into her death revealed a complicated medical history of Type 1 Diabetes that was deliberately concealed from family, friends, and teachers by Emily’s mother, Amber Hampshire. The actions of Amber Hampshire that directly led to the death of Emily caused disbelief and shock amongst the small community the family was actively involved in. The investigation, prosecution, and prison sentence imposed were the result of a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to getting justice for Emily.
About the Presenter:
Kathleen Nolan is a Senior Attorney with the Zero Abuse Project, a non-profit organization focused on the training of prosecutors, law enforcement, child protection workers, medical professionals, and forensic interviewers.
NCA Accreditation Standards:
Standards 2B 3B 4B
Optional Standard 3C: Physical Abuse
3E. Help Wanted! Prevention Initiative
Ryan T. Shields, Ph.D.
Young people who experience sexual attraction to children represent a critical, yet largely underserved, demographic in prevention efforts. To address this gap, the Help Wanted Prevention Intervention was designed to provide resources and support to young people who are looking for help. This presentation will explore the theoretical foundations and design of the intervention, present findings from an initial feedback evaluation, and provide insights into the subsequent development of Help Wanted.
About the Presenter:
Ryan T. Shields, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the School of Criminology and Justice Studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. His research is primarily centered on the intersection of criminal justice and public health. He studies child sexual abuse, sexual abuse prevention, and sex crime policy.
NCA Accreditation Standards:
Standard 5B