Event Registration - Association of Professionals Solving the Abuse of Children

This event has completed.

8/13/2025 - 8/13/2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Eastern Time

Skill Level: Introductory/ Intermediate 
General Admission (individual session): $30.00
APSAC Members and The New York Foundling Staff Admission: Free
1 CE Credit (Social Work & Psychology) Non-Members: $30.00
1 CE Credit (Social Work & Psychology) APSAC Members and NY Foundling: $20.00
APSAC Members: You will receive your discount automatically when registering.
The New York Foundling Staff: Please email FontanaCenter@nyfoundling.org to request your entry code.

We would love to see you! Please be prepared to have your camera on whenever possible. It helps create a more connected and engaging experience for everyone. If you need to turn it off, we trust you to take care of yourself. If you are requesting continuing education credit, being on camera is required for verification purposes. We appreciate your understanding and participation!

Title: Are Minimal Facts Interviews the Best Practice

Presenter: Detective (ret.) Mike Johnson

Description: The primary mandate of a Child Advocacy Center is to provide its multidisciplinary team with an immediate response to an outcry in a trauma-informed and victim- and family-friendly facility.  Many CACs have now created an additional layer that delays the start of an investigation and protective intervention – the Minimal Facts Interview.
 
Training First Responders (Law Enforcement/Patrol Officers, DHR/CPS) on how to conduct Minimal Facts Interviews or Essential Facts Interviews (Lyon 2024), Pre-Forensic Interviews, “Rogue” Interviews, Protective Assessment Interviews…has become common practice for many Children’s Advocacy Centers.  Many now pre-screen victim outcries in the field to determine if a “referral” (NRCAC 2023) should be made to a CAC and an appointment scheduled – often days or even weeks later.
 
There is ZERO research to support this practice.  There IS, however, research to support the cascading impact of the delayed forensic interview on the initiation of an investigation: delayed Law Enforcement and Child Protective Services response, delayed perpetrator interview, cooperation of non-offending caregivers, delayed forensic medical evaluation, delayed evidence collection, delayed safety/protective evaluations and subsequent criminal and family court prosecution.  
 
This presentation seeks to shed light on the dangers of the minimal facts interview and will provide solutions to this practice.

Learning Objectives:
1. Attendees will be able to explain why there is no evidence to support the practice of Minimal Facts Interviews by Law Enforcement and DHS First Responders.
2. Attendees will recognize the basis for CAC and MDT protocols usage of Minimal Facts Interviews.
3. Attendees will identify more than five adverse impacts of a Minimal Facts Interview on the criminal and child protection investigation process.


Cancellations:
No cancellations. No refunds. Registration is transferable. Requests for transfer to a future event will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you have any questions please email us at onlinetraining@apsac.org.