skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

House Speaker Mike Johnson tries to push Trump's 'big' agenda forward, but GOP votes are in jeopardy; NV program to bridge insurance gaps for Native Americans needs more 'buy-in,' More AR families rely on Child Tax Credit, OR consumers face more financial risks with CFPB closure.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Federal employee performance reviews face a confusing moment, Congress debates voting rights, consumer advocates push to reinstate the CFPB, Canadian and Mexican import tariffs raise economic concerns, and environmental groups fight offshore drilling.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Taos County Sheriff says he won't conduct raids or round ups of immigrants, New Hampshire worries a dearth of charging stations will force tourists driving EVs to pick another vacation destination, and Southern states improve education with workarounds.

SD Sees Progress in Boosting Training for Child-Abuse Case Workers

play audio
Play

Monday, July 31, 2023   

A South Dakota academic program that enhances training for those who respond to child abuse and neglect cases is gaining momentum.

In the past couple of years, the University of South Dakota has seen its first groups of students earn certificates for Child and Adult Advocacy Studies. Participants get a deeper understanding of child maltreatment and how to respond.

Tifanie Petro is the advocacy and prevention programs director statewide for the Children's Home Society. She's among the first graduates and noted that it's not just for graduate students before they enter the field.

Professionals like her tout the program's emphasis on how to work with other entities on these cases.

"It's really about bringing the partners together, to wrap around the person that has had this experience," said Petro, "versus making the person try to go to different systems and try to navigate it on their own."

And learning more about the effects associated with abuse and neglect inspired Petro to push for a new state law that just took effect.

It allows for a trauma-informed courtroom experience for children who have to testify against an abuser.

An element of the studies program just received an honorable mention from the U.S. Public Health Service and Interprofessional Education Collaborative.

The University of South Dakota's Department of Social Work Chair Kelly Bass is the director of the new program. He said integrating realistic cases through simulation has helped USD's model see some early success.

Bass noted that not having any taste of "in-the-field" scenarios can sometimes be a challenge for case workers when they transition from the classroom to their professional career.

"You're attempting to provide standards of practice," said Bass, "but you're also overwhelmed by the circumstances that are in front of you. "

He said the classes not only help students learn how to respond to individual cases but also situations where there are multiple victims of abuse.

This broader approach also is being used at more than 90 academic institutions across 30 states. The Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment helped get South Dakota's program off the ground.



Disclosure: Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault, Education, Health Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Concentrated animal feeding operations are major polluters of the air and water, yet less than a third in Illinois have National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, which are required when discharging livestock waste. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Illinois is known for having some of the weakest environmental laws for concentrated animal feeding operations, with a lack of oversight and public …


Environment

play sound

Several environmental groups concerned about increased offshore drilling have a filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit …

Environment

play sound

A 1,086-acre property in Putnam County has been secured as part of the ongoing effort to protect the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor, a critical …


Social Issues

play sound

Tax season is here and North Carolinians should find the relevant financial documents to ensure filing their returns is as smooth as possible…

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said after nearly two decades of stagnation, electricity demand is starting to grow and is not expected to slow at all in the coming years. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

South Dakota is cited in a new report which argues to avoid an energy crisis, America needs to have a shared vision of what a strong power grid looks …

Health and Wellness

play sound

New research found most Connecticut residents support creating a family caregiver tax credit. The state has 420,000 family caregivers, providing a …

Social Issues

play sound

By Wesley Brown for the Arkansas Delta Informer.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for The Arkansas Delta Informer-Wi…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021