The CAMI Program funds Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers (RCAC) to support multidisciplinary teams and child abuse intervention centers through:

1. Assistance with Difficult or Complex Child Abuse Medical Assessments: According to administrative rule, “Complex Case” means a case in which the local CAIC or the local MDT determines the need for assistance from a Regional Service Center or Community Assessment Center, in order to perform or complete a child abuse medical assessment or to evaluate, diagnose or treat a victim of child abuse. Assistance with difficult or complex child abuse medical assessments always begins with a consultation (see definition below in number 4). If, during the case consultation, the RCAC determines that the case requires additional assistance, the RCAC may extend an offer to provide additional assistance in the form of a medical examination and/or forensic interview and/or other services as deemed necessary by the RCAC. Should the RCAC be associated with a hospital, only consults which are provided outside the regular course of business of the CAIC shall be counted as complex case consultations.

2. “Education” means the provision of specialized information to individuals regarding the detection, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of child abuse or possible child abuse. Education is distinguished from training in that education can be provided in such forms as written documents, sharing of webinars created by individuals or organizations other than the RCAC whereas training is information delivered in person, telephone, or teleconference by an employee of the RCAC or by an individual or group with whom the RCAC contracts for the purpose of providing the training.

3. “Training” means the provision of teaching or instruction to professionals regarding the detection, evaluation, diagnosis or treatment of child abuse or possible child abuse. Training can include informational presentations and lectures as well as one on one coaching.

Training includes forensic interviewer and medical provider training.

Oregon Child Forensic Interviewing Training (OCFIT): Participation in Oregon Child Forensic Interviewing Training is the primary means by which RCACs satisfy this core requirement. This training is based on the Oregon Interviewing Guidelines. The schedule will be set by committee including CAMI administrator, Network Coordinator, and RCAC Directors. The training may be conducted by an interviewer from the CAIC where the RCAC is located, or by an interviewer with whom the RCAC contracts to provide the training within the proposed service region. As forensic interviewing of children is a broad topic, specialized training on related topics such as interviewing children with disabilities, may also be requested by constituents and may be provided by the RCAC. The RCAC may use their own expert, provide a referral to a qualified instructor or training, or contract with an interviewer or agency to provide this specialized training.

Medical Assessment Training: Training largely based on the AAP guidelines and other resources developed by the Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers and approved by the CAMI Fund Coordinator. Training should include information on physical abuse, sexual abuse and Karly’s Law. This training may be conducted either by a medical practitioner within the CAIC where the RCAC is located or by a practitioner with whom the RCAC contracts to provide the training. The RCAC may also provide more specialized training on medical assessments by using their own medical expert, providing a referral to a qualified instructor or training, or contracting with a practitioner or agency to provide this specialized training. Medical providers should consult RCAC doctors for additional guidance on best practices.

Peer Review for Forensic Interviews and Medical Assessments: Peer review is evaluation of work by one or more people of similar competence to the producers of the work (peers). It constitutes a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review is often organized around development of a specific competence or topic. RCAC interviewers or medical professionals come together with other interviewers or medical professionals in their region to review forensic interviews and medical assessments and provide constructive feedback to the person who conducted the interview or assessment. Peer reviews may be conducted in person, via teleconference or online. Peer review is recognized by the CAMI Program as essential to the continuing education of child abuse intervention professionals.

4. “Consultation” means discussions between or among persons associated with a RSP and persons associated with county MDT (including CAIC staff) to be served by the Center regarding individual cases involving child abuse or possible child abuse, child abuse medical assessments, and related topics. Consultation is not limited to complex cases. Consultation may be sought by someone involved in a child abuse investigation who has less experience or expertise in the field (for example, a primary care physician who is conducting a child abuse medical assessment who does not regularly conduct medical assessments may seek the expertise of an RCAC provider. It is the intention of the CAMI Program to track consultations, complex consultations and assistance with complex medical assessments as three distinct services in the hope of accurately capturing the nature of the work required of the RCACs.

5. “Technical Assistance” means assistance of a practical, specialized or scientific nature, including but not limited to practical advice, specialized advice, advanced laboratory testing or forensic testing.

6. “Referral Services” means the recommendation of specialized services related to child abuse medical assessments or to the detection, evaluation, diagnosis or treatment of child abuse. It may include consultation or directing or redirecting a child abuse victim or possible victim to an appropriate specialist for more definitive evaluation, diagnosis or treatment. As the needs of MDTs and CAICs vary greatly, there will be service requests that the RCAC is unable to meet. In some cases the service request may fall outside of the core of the RCAC and at times the RCAC may not have sufficient resources to accommodate the request. In these cases, the center providing regional services will make reasonable efforts to provide the constituent with assistance and information to facilitate their access to the services they need.

For more information see CAMI RCAC Core Services.

The Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers for the 2019-21 Grant Period are:

Additional Resources

• Child Abuse News and National Training Opportunities »
• Out of Region Agreement for Services
• Regional Services Map (PDF)»
• Oregon Interviewing Guidelines Fifth Edition, 2024 (PDF)»
• Oregon Interviewing Guidelines Fourth Edition, 2018 (PDF)»
• Oregon Interviewing Guidelines Third Edition, 2012 (PDF)»
• Project Ability Reference Guide (PDF)»