For The Child Needs Volunteers for CART (Child Abuse Response Team)

For The Child, a Long Beach-based nonprofit providing both comprehensive child abuse treatment and trauma-informed mental health care, counseling, and therapy to children and families, is searching for dedicated volunteers to be trained and added to their CART (Child Abuse Response Team). CART is a group of dedicated volunteers available to respond 24/7 to local hospitals in Long Beach, Torrance, and San Pedro when law enforcement believes a child or adolescent has been recently sexually assaulted. The advocate accompanies the victim of any age (from toddler to 21) at the hospital and provides companionship during their visit, even in the middle of the night.

For The Child prepares the advocate with 40 hours of training to be ready for any scenario and understand the circumstances. When arriving at the hospital, the advocate has a teddy bear to present to the victim along with materials to color, play games, read books, or other activities in a dedicated room away from a medical exam room when law enforcement brings the child to the hospital.

The advocate becomes an integral part of what’s known as the SART, the sexual abuse response team. That team includes the forensic nurse, law enforcement, and sometimes the District Attorney. As a part of that team, the advocate accompanies the victim during a physical exam and helps the parents cope with the magnitude of the current situation. CART volunteers then connect the victim and the family to For The Child for services and treatment or to other programs based on their needs and where they live.

Each month, the CART advocates participate in a supervision meeting to review the prior month’s cases and learn from each other and support each other.

For the Child is opening its 40-hour virtual training program beginning Tuesday, January 24, 2023 and ending March 1, 2023. Classes take place Tuesday evenings from 6:00 until 8:30 pm, and on Saturdays from 9:00 am until 2 pm.

After the training, each new advocate must go on two practicum calls where a senior member of the CART shadows them, ready to assist if needed.

For The Child requires CART volunteers to pass a background check with Live Scan and the DMV. Volunteers must be fully vaccinated and submit proof of COVID vaccinations. After completing the mandatory 40-hour training, they will attend monthly supervision meetings on the first Wednesday of every month from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. and commit to sign-up for one CART volunteer shift per month (evenings or daytime shift opportunities) for one year.

For more information, contact Isabel Pasillas at ipasillas@forthechild.org or 562-422-8472. CART and follow-up counseling at no charge to families is made possible by a grant from the California Office of Emergency Services.

FTC’s mission is simple and important. Children should be treated with respect and protected from abuse. The nonprofit 501c3 meets this challenge by providing both comprehensive child abuse treatment and trauma-informed mental health care, counseling, and therapy to strengthen families and provide the tools of healing to children.

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For The Child’s Vision

All children will have the opportunity to reach their natural potential free from abuse or neglect. Children will be nurtured and cared for in loving families, they will be safe in their homes, their schools, and their neighborhoods.