CHAPTER 94CHILD PROTECTION CENTER GRANT PROGRAM64194.1(135) Scope and purpose. A child protection center grant program is established to provide grants to eligible applicants for the purpose of establishing new child protection centers and to support existing child protection centers. Grants may be available to eligible organizations that meet, or that are in the process of implementing, child protection center standards established by the National Children’s Alliance. If sufficient funding is available, the program shall, at a minimum, award a grant to a child protection center in or available to each department of human services region in Iowa. Implementation of the grant program is subject to the availability of funding.64194.2(135) Definitions. For the purposes of these rules, the following definitions shall apply:
"Child abuse" means abuse as defined by Iowa Code section 232.68(2).
"Child protection center" "child advocacy center" means a comprehensive, child-focused program, designed by communities to meet their needs, based in a facility that allows law enforcement, child protection professionals, prosecutors, and the mental health and medical communities to work together to handle child abuse cases. Child advocacy center is synonymous with child protection center.
"Child protection worker" means a worker as defined by Iowa Code section 232.68(2A).
"Culturally competent" means the capacity to function in more than one culture, requiring the ability to appreciate, understand and interact with members of diverse populations within the community.
"Department" means the Iowa department of public health.
"Developmentally appropriate" means that services are based on human development and learning, individual characteristics and experiences, social and cultural contexts.
"Director" means the director of the Iowa department of public health.
"Family advocate" means an individual who supports a child provided service through a child protection center and ensures access to formal or informal community services as needed by the child or the child’s family.
"Forensic interview" means a face-to-face meeting between individuals to elicit information and that follows a process suitable for a law court or public debate.
"Multidisciplinary team" means individuals with many education levels that encompass the individuals’ beliefs and training in fields of health, education, human service, justice, faith, and others.
64194.3(135) Goals. A child protection center’s goals for victims of child abuse allegations shall be:- To provide consistent and expedient response and follow-up to abuse reports.
- Coordination of activities to investigate, prosecute, and treat child abuse.
- To advocate for medical and mental health resources to effectively help the child and the child’s family.
- To reduce the number of interviews and interactions with a victim.
- To provide consistent and compassionate support for the child and the child’s family.
- To ensure that the child is not further victimized by the system designed to protect the child.
- To increase successful prosecutions.