Child Death Investigation Protocol Training - Nov 2-4, 2022

Background

The State Child Fatality Review Team under the direction of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office identified a need for improved collaboration surrounding child death investigations, DCJS had a protocol developed to be used by law enforcement and child protective service investigators across the Commonwealth. The protocol calls for a uniform, collaborative response to child death investigations in Virginia.

Since then, DCJS has worked with key partners to train and disseminate the protocol to law enforcement and child protective services investigators in the Commonwealth. DCJS is seeking to continue to train law enforcement and child protective services investigators, and other key members of multidisciplinary teams (MDT) in Virginia, and has developed an opportunity to train a cadre of teams of volunteer trainers.

DCJS has secured 20 slots for  a three-day Child Death Investigation training that is being facilitated by Justice 3D at the Central Virginia Police Training Academy in Lynchburg, Virginia on November 2-4, 2022.

An application process for teams of 2-4 members including at least one law enforcement and one CPS investigator to attend this training will be open on August 16, 2022. Additional members of the same MDT are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be selected in teams based on a variety of factors, including their geographic location, occupation, tenure in the position, tenure in the field of law enforcement, child welfare, etc., and the reason for their interest in becoming a trainer of the protocol. Teams will be selected with geographic representation in mind to ensure adequate coverage for future training on the Child Death Protocol.

Application Open:  August 16, 2022

Q&A Session: August 24, 2022 at 11am^[i]

Application Deadline: September 9, 2022

Notification of Selected Applicants: September 16, 2022

The Q&A Session will provide an overview of the protocol, application details, and expectations of selected participants beyond the initial training. The Q&A session can be accessed on August 24 at 11:00 am at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83974364920   Zoom Meeting ID: 839 7436 4920

Expectations for Selected Applicants

DCJS is responsible for the $395 training fee as well as travel and per diem for 20 attendees. Overnight lodging and per diem (for participants 60 or more miles away from the training facility) will be reimbursed by DCJS pending satisfactory completion of the three-day training. Please note that this is on a reimbursement basis so all travel and per diem costs will be the responsibility of the applicant or applicant’s agency, subject to reimbursement for participants who satisfactorily complete the training. If an applicant does not satisfactorily finish the training course, they will be billed for the training fees, and no travel costs will be reimbursed.

In exchange for DCJS’ support for the training, upon successful completion of this train-the-trainer model training, teams (at least one law enforcement and CPS investigator) will be required to facilitate three trainings within their geographic region, with a minimum expectation of one training per year. Trainers and their respective agencies will be responsible for their time and travel except in extenuating circumstances where the training location is 60 miles or more from their home agency. In these circumstances, DCJS may pay for travel costs of the trainer(s) on a reimbursement basis.

For specific questions, please contact Jenna Foster, Children’s Justice Act (CJA) Coordinator, at jenna.foster@dcjs.virginia.gov.