MACA 2026 Annual Conference Workshop Session 2
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 2 (1:15 PM – 2:45 PM)
2A. Stronger Together Part 2: Coordinated Justice in Child Sexual Abuse Cases (Keynote Continued)
Stephanie Block, Ph.D.
Building on the morning keynote, this workshop session offers participants an opportunity to engage more deeply with Dr. Block’s research findings. Attendees will continue to examine case-level data from her analysis of 500 child sexual abuse cases, with a closer look at the factors that shape case trajectories across investigation and prosecution. Discussion will focus on the practical implications of her findings for MDT members, non-offending caregivers, and community stakeholders, including how coordinated responses, caregiver support, and disclosure timelines influence both legal outcomes and family experiences. Participants will have the opportunity to apply these insights to their own practice and explore strategies for strengthening coordinated justice responses in their communities.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Stephanie Block is a Professor in Applied Developmental Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Dr. Block earned her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of California, Davis, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill’s Center for Developmental Science. Her research focuses on child maltreatment and encompasses her training in developmental and applied sciences, as well as public health.
Dr. Block’s work focuses on children in the legal system, the effect of trauma on children’s well-being and memory for emotional events, and the prevention of child maltreatment. Her recent work was funded by the National Institute of Justice and examined prosecutorial decisions in cases of child sexual abuse.
NCA Accreditation Standards: 1A, 1B
2B. Grooming and Manipulation in Child Abuse Investigations
Bradley Graham, Senior Investigator, Washington State Attorney General’s Office
Suspects use a number of behaviors to gain the cooperation and trust of their victims. When working on child abuse investigations, it is critical to identify and understand the grooming techniques used to manipulate both children and caregivers. This workshop will help prepare investigators to explain the dynamics of grooming in both criminal and family court hearings.
*Note: This workshop was previously presented at the MACA CAC-MDT Summit in October 2025 and is recommended for those who were unable to attend then.
About the Presenter:
Bradley Graham (Brad) has been in law enforcement since 1987. He retired from the Tacoma Police Department after 30 years as a Detective in the Special Assaults Unit before joining the Washington State Attorney General’s Office – Criminal Division as a Senior Investigator. He specializes in investigating child physical and sexual abuse and child death investigations, and teaches for the National Criminal Justice Training Center, Fox Valley Technical College. He has a Master of Science degree in Law & Justice from Central Washington University and is the author of the book, ‘Effective Child Abuse Investigations for the Multi-Disciplinary Teams.’
NCA Accreditation Standards: 1A, 1B, 13C
2C. Engaging Dads in Child Welfare
Chris White and Steven Pascal, The Children’s Trust
The positive impacts of father involvement on child well-being are well documented, yet family support services are often centered on mothers and children. This workshop explores barriers to father engagement and elevates the practices, attitudes, and behaviors that support best practices with fathers. Participants will discuss the benefits of engaging fathers in child welfare, learn concrete strategies to connect men with their families, and make their organizations inclusive of fathers.
About the Presenters:
Chris White is the proud father of two energetic sons, ages 5 and 6, and a passionate fatherhood advocate, trainer, and leader dedicated to strengthening families and empowering the professionals who serve them. Currently serving as the Fatherhood Initiative Coordinator at The Children’s Trust, Chris partners with state agencies, community-based organizations, and frontline practitioners across Massachusetts to advance father-inclusive practices. He works to ensure that programs are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to effectively engage and support fathers from all backgrounds.
As the Director of Home Visiting, Steven Pascal leads the Healthy Families Massachusetts Implementation Team (HFMIT), which provides support and technical assistance to the statewide network of Healthy Families Massachusetts (HFM) programs serving first-time young parents. Aside from ensuring the evidence-based HFM programs are implemented with fidelity, he regularly collaborates with local non-profits, state agencies, and universities on private, state, and federally funded initiatives and program enhancements.
NCA Accreditation Standards: 1B, 3B, 5B
2D. Sentinel Injuries and Other Skin Findings of Child Physical Abuse
Dr. Neha Mehta, MD, Medical Director for CARE Center @ Manning Family Children’s Hospital
For infants and young children, the early and accurate identification of child abuse injuries is important to improve safety and health outcomes. Participants will learn from both case examples and research how implicit bias can affect the medical workup and reporting of suspected child physical abuse. Attendees will learn about sentinel injuries of child abuse, as well as a validated clinical tool to utilize to help determine which children require additional medical evaluation. This workshop includes multiple clinical case examples with images to assist both medical and non-medical professionals in understanding the benefits of having protocols and pathways for evaluating young children.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Neha Mehta leads a group of dedicated medical professionals as the Medical Director of the CARE Center- the child abuse evaluation program- at Manning Family Children’s Hospital. Dr. Mehta is a pediatrician who is fellowship-trained and board-certified in Child Abuse Pediatrics. Dr. Mehta has been practicing in the field of Child Abuse Pediatrics for over 20 years. Her areas of special interest include: Child Fatality Review, Multidisciplinary Team Education, and Child Abuse Prevention.
NCA Accreditation Standards: 1B, 4B, 13C
2E. Interviewing Youth with Sexual Behaviors: Strategies & Best Practices
Geoff Sidoli, MSW, LCSW
While MDT members are familiar and acclimated with interviewing child victims and adults that have caused abuse, we are less familiar with best practices and processes for interviewing youth and children that demonstrate sexual behaviors. The following presentation will discuss and review numerous challenges inherent in this task. The primary focus will be the elicitation of accurate information and the ability to differentiate between sexual behaviors that are normative, those that are concerning but not abusive, and those that are harmful. We will cover a range of approaches, skills, and materials related to the “what” and “how” of interviewing youth and kids with sexualized behaviors.
About the Presenter:
Geoff Sidoli, LCSW, is a national trainer and helps CACs around the country with mental health services, including ones for children and youth exhibiting problematic sexual behavior (PSB). Geoff co-developed and trains an enhancement of TF-CBT for PSB. He is a clinical member of the Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Sexual Abuse (ATSA) as well as a Fellow.
NCA Accreditation Standards: 1B, 2B
