About Us
The Child Abuse Training Services (CATS) program’s mission is to promote multidisciplinary expertise in the prevention of and response to child abuse by providing professionals with up-to-date information about sexual or physical abuse, child neglect, and forensic interviewing techniques.
The CATS program is available to assist your office by conducting specialized training for prosecutors, assistant prosecutors, law enforcement and child abuse professionals in many areas including the following topics:
- Forensic Interviewing of Children Protocol
- Preparing for Court
- Building a Successful Multi-Disciplinary Team
- Internet Crimes Against Children
- Child Trafficking
- Medical Issues in Child Abuse Cases
- Prosecuting Authority Figures
- Drug Endangered Children
- Suspect Interviewing and Interrogation
The Forensic Interviewing of Children Protocol training is the primary training focus of the unit. The CATS program and the Child Welfare Training Institute, through the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, are the only two approved providers of this training in Michigan.
The CATS program offers many trainings on internet safety, including how to investigate internet crimes and child sexually abusive material. The program works closely with the Michigan Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to provide access to up-to-date information on these topics.