History of the Coalition Against Child Abuse & Neglect

Long before there were national headlines regarding child abuse, representatives of concerned municipal and non-profit organizations in Nassau County, Long Island (New York) came together to discuss how each responded to the issue of child abuse. They began devising a way to work together to respond to increasing reports of child abuse, and to make sure that everything possible was being done to answer the needs of child abuse victim.

The Coalition Against Child Abuse & Neglect (CCAN) was born in February 1979, in recognition that a formal organization needed to go public with its concerns and take the lead in fighting child abuse, educating the community and ensuring that the needs of every victim were being addressed.
Early efforts of the then-Nassau Coalition on Child Abuse & Neglect centered on determining how child abuse reports were handled by hospitals, child protective services and law enforcement; what technically was the definition of child abuse; how to recognize it; and how to educate the community about the issues.

During its first decade, the organization hosted groundbreaking symposia on issues involving child abuse and neglect for the professional. Nationally recognized experts conducted informational sessions on topics such as: “The Silent Child - Child Sexual Abuse,” “Coordinated Community Response for the Humane Treatment of Sexual Abuse,” “Child Neglect - Focus on Children Birth Through 10 Years of Age,” and “Sibling Incest - The System Response.” For the general public, the Coalition created a Resource and Referral Center and began its community outreach education effort. Advocacy also included recommending necessary support programs and legislation to public officials.

Additionally, the Coalition was contracted by Nassau County to coordinate specific cases (Link to case and treatment coordination team) of child abuse to ensure that no child fell through the gaps of post-disclosure processes and systems. That contract, still in place today, ensures that all parties involved are meeting the needs of child victims.

During its second decade, the organization continued to build on its tradition of educating the professional and the public, advocating with government and legislators, and leading the community in answering the needs of victims. It was also a time for the Coalition to move into direct services programs: the Child Victim Advocate Program, Project LAUNCH, Project Kidz Talk ©, and PATCHES can all trace their beginnings to this period.

The Coalition also saw many years of advocacy reach fruition with the opening of the Nassau County SCAN (Suspected Child Abuse & Neglect) Unit, at what is today known as the Nassau University Medical Center , East Meadow , where forensic medical examinations are made of child victims to document abuse. The second decade also saw the opening of the Child Advocacy Center of Nassau County in a suite of offices adjacent to the Coalition's. CCAN assumed a leadership role, locally, in advocating for the creation of “Megan's Law,” the Sex Offender Registration Act.

As it moves through its third decade of responding to the needs of child victims of abuse and neglect, CCAN has added a new direct services program— Project Families Together; expanded the reach of its Project Kidz Talk© into Mastic, Suffolk County; is exploring new programs to add to its roster of services; and continues its tradition of advocacy, intervention, and education.