CVST-Approved Trainings
Victim Service Providers must complete an approved 15-hour basic core training within one year of their date of employment in order to become a certified Victim Service Provider.
VSPs must then complete 12 hours of approved continuing education each calendar year after that to remain certified.
The following trainings have been approved by CVST for VSP credit. Please click on the appropriate links for registration information and course details.
Non-accredited Certification Requests DO NOT need to be submitted for any of these trainings. CVST will receive attendance logs from the training sponsors.
Victims’ Rights and Mandated Services: An Online Notifier/Support Staff Training
South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol Training
Law Enforcement First Responder - South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol Training
SCCADVASA E-Learning Series
Victims’ Rights and Mandated Services: An Online Notifier/Support Staff Training
* This webinar will provide the 2 hours of mandated biennial training for Notifiers/Support Staff.*
Date & Time: Ongoing
Location: Online
CVST Course # 673
Approved Credit Hours: 2.0
Sponsor: Department of Crime Victim Services Training
Click here to register.
IMPORTANT: Once CVST receives your request to complete this online Notifier/Support Staff training, you’ll be sent an invitation link to access the training. You have three weeks from receipt of the invitation to complete the training or your link will expire. Once the training has been completed CVST will receive notice & VSP credit will be provided.
South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol Training
Credit Hours: 3.25 VSP hours
Location: Online, self-paced format
The protocol training that is mandated by the South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol Act is now available for all professionals involved in the child abuse response system in South Carolina.
Description: This training contains the online modules required to complete the South Carolina Child Abuse Protocol Training as outlined in the South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol Act. The training details mandated procedures for a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) and Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) approach to child abuse by addressing the functions of the CAC/MDT, roles and responsibilities of each discipline, and the interaction of these disciplines during the child abuse response process. A coordinated, MDT approach facilitates efficient interagency communication and information sharing, ongoing involvement of key individuals, and support for children and families.
For more information: SC Protocol Training Flyer
To Register: https://connect.cac-sc.org/eventmanager/onlinetraining/details/61
Law Enforcement First Responder - South Carolina Child Abuse Protocol Training
Date & Time: Ongoing
Location: Online
Approved Credit Hours: .5 hours
Sponsor: SC Network of Children's Advocacy Centers
To register, click here.
This training is a shortened version of the South Carolina Child Abuse Protocol Training, as outlined in the South Carolina Child Abuse Response Protocol Act, for Law Enforcement First Responders. The training details mandated procedures for a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) and Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) approach to child abuse by addressing the functions of the CAC/MDT, roles and responsibilities of each discipline, and the interaction of these disciplines during the child abuse response process. A coordinated, MDT approach facilitates efficient interagency communication and information sharing, ongoing involvement of key individuals, and support for children and families. This version of the protocol training focuses on the Law Enforcement First Responders' role in the response to child abuse and should only be taken by Law Enforcement First Responders. If your role in the response to child abuse is that of a law enforcement or Department of Social Services Investigator or have any other role other than law enforcement first responder, you should not be taking this course but should take the full South Carolina Child Abuse Protocol training which is available on the South Carolina Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers training webpage where you accessed this training.
SCCADVASA E-Learning Series
EL001 Safety For Those Who Stay
Strangulation is a frequently utilized method in domestic assault. However, this injury is often minimized or missed by those who provide care or services to the patient. This is often due to lack of education and awareness of how this injury can quickly, and quietly, become fatal. This presentation will educate on strangulation, the prevalence of this act in domestic/sexual assault patients, how to screen and treat these patients, along with substantial long-lasting impacts.
Speaker: Ellen Kennedy
1.5 hours of VSP credit available.
Click here to register.
EL002 Imperfect Victims: Criminalized Survivors and the Promise of Abolition Feminism
Since the 1970s, anti-violence advocates have worked to make the legal system more responsive to gender-based violence. But greater state intervention in cases of intimate partner violence, rape, sexual assault, and trafficking has led to the arrest, prosecution, conviction, and incarceration of victims, particularly women of color and trans and gender-nonconforming people. This talk will document how the criminal legal system punishes survivors of violence, beginning in the juvenile system and running through the criminal legal system, and explore why only dismantling the system will bring that punishment to an end.
Speaker: Leigh Goodmark
1.5 hours of VSP credit available.
Click here to register.
EL003 The Ins and Outs of Civil Stalking
This webinar will focus on understanding the legal definition of stalking and harassment in South Carolina and the requirements for filing a civil Complaint and Motion for a Stalking & Harassment Restraining Order (R.O.) in South Carolina Magistrate Court. Information shared will include what conditions need to be met to obtain a R.O., who can file, where to file, and steps a petitioner should take if there is a subsequent violation of the restraining order. The training will also provide an overview of the differences between R.O.s, Domestic Abuse Orders of Protection and Permanent Restraining Orders. Attorneys and advocates will also learn about the importance of safety planning with petitioners, including referral information to victim service and criminal justice system professionals who can provide additional support. Attendees will also learn about the recent partnership between the University of South Carolina School of Law Domestic Violence Clinic, Sistercare and local magistrate courts to expand access to legal information to both petitioners and respondents and improve uniformity in the processing and adjudication of restraining order cases throughout the state.
1.5 hours of VSP credit available
Click here to register.
EL004 The Critical Intersections of Sex Trafficking
The dangers of sex trafficking are often exacerbated by the long-existing barriers of invisibility and jurisdictional barriers that traffickers count on when committing violent crimes. The presenter will explore the critical intersection of sex trafficking and murdered and missing Indigenous relatives and offer support and training around the historical connections of Tribal cultures, impacts, policy, sovereignty, and traditional values, along with the emerging issues in contemporary sex trafficking. These connections are tightly woven between victims/survivors, their communities, and families.
Speaker: Nicole Matthews
1.5 hours of VSP credit available
Click here to register.
EL005 Responding to Violent Behavior with the Three Trees of Change
This training will introduce participants to effective practices in working with individuals who engage in violence. The Three Trees of Change (Emotional Resilience, Cognitive Consonance, and Behavioral Efficacy) will be explored within the framework of static, stable, and acute risk factors. We will use real-life examples from the 15 years of this model's implementation to illustrate these concepts and to engage participants in an experiential learning process.
Speaker: Ben Motley
1.5 hours of VSP credit available
Click here to register.
EL006 Trauma Informed Investigative Response to Sexual Assault and IPV Victims
Victims react to the psychological trauma of sexual assault and intimate partner violence in various ways. In order to ensure that survivors receive the support and services that they need during the criminal legal process, it is important to understand the key principles of a trauma-informed response. This session will provide law enforcement an overview of the impact of trauma and how to apply a trauma-informed approach to their work with victims.
Speaker: Lt. Mark Wynn (Ret.)
1.75 hours of VSP credit available
Click here to register.
EL007 Know More, Do More: Recognizing and Responding to Stalking
Stalking is a prevalent, dangerous, and often misunderstood crime. This session explores the dynamics of stalking, focusing on the highly contextual nature of the crime by discussing common tactics used by perpetrators, stalking’s co-occurrence with domestic and sexual violence as well as tools to plan for victim safety and hold offenders accountable.
Speaker: Dana Fleitman
1.5 hours of VSP credit available
Click here to register.
EL008 The Community Resiliency Model
Elaine Miller-Karas, the key developer of the Community Resiliency Model (CRM), will share the model’s key concepts and basic skills. She will share how the skills of CRM can be used to restore the mind, body, and spirit to well-being during and after stressful situations. The skills of CRM can be used both for self-care and for clients. The Community Resiliency Model is biologically based, educating about the autonomic nervous system and how the body responds to stress. CRM skills help to stabilize emotions, resulting in more adaptive thinking when facing emotional and physical distress. The Community Resiliency Model has distilled the complexity of neuroscience into simple, understandable concepts. This approach helps children and adults understand the common human responses to stressful and traumatic events through a lens of biology. The Community Resiliency Model has been integrated into programs globally, helping individuals who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assaults.
Speaker: Elaine Miller-Karasa
1.5 hours of VSP credit available
Click here to register.
EL009 Integrating Suicide Prevention Strategies Into Services for Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence
This webinar will describe evidence-informed suicide prevention and intervention strategies for organizations and providers serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Persons impacted by domestic and sexual violence are at higher risk for suicidal thinking and behaviors. It is essential for service providers to apply evidence-based practices in suicide prevention including screening, safety planning, lethal means, and follow-up. Jennifer Myers will describe specific screening tools, safety planning interventions, and strategies to support survivors’ safety in a suicidal crisis. This webinar will also address the importance of organizational practices regarding referrals.
Speaker: Jennifer Myers
1.5 hours of VSP credit available
Click here to register.
EL010 Survivor Centered, Whole Family Approaches to Safety and Healing
This webinar will spotlight the history and evolution over the last three decades of Caminar Latino’s holistic family services in Atlanta, Georgia. The foundation of Caminar Latino’s model continues to be rooted in the essential act of listening to survivor parents in order to understand their realities, learn their priorities and support their family strengths. Directed by survivors’ articulated needs and goals, Caminar Latino offers supportive and innovative programming for children and youth exposed to violence as well as violence intervention classes for parents who use violence. We’ll highlight the work and resources available through the National Center to Advance Peace for Children, Youth, and Families (NCAP), the federally funded resource center on child protection and custody, housed at Caminar Latino, and hear from a key NCAP Partner, Futures Without Violence, on the importance of engaging parents who use violence in our advocacy. Speakers will share considerations and tools for complex conversations around parenting and caregiving that center child well-being with the goal of motivating parents and supporting survivors as they consider and navigate safer pathways for their families.
1.5 hours of VSP credit available
Click here to register.
EL011 Bilingual Professionals & Interpreters in Victim Services
Survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence face many barriers when interacting with the victim services field. One of the biggest hurdles encountered by survivors who are immigrants and/or have limited English proficiency, is the overwhelming lack of language access. This panel discussion will provide a variety of perspectives about providing services to survivors who have different communications needs. SCCADVASA Members who participate will hear from a professional interpreter, a bilingual therapist, an interpreter and translator professor, and a monolingual therapist who works closely with interpreters on a weekly basis.
1.5 hours of VSP credit available
Click here to register.
EL012 The Domestic Violence-Traumatic Brian Injury and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Emergent Pandemic
There is a silent and unrecognized emergent domestic violence-traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (DV-TBI/CTE) pandemic with much more to be learned about how to support potential DV-TBI-CTE victims and survivors and collaborate to address it together. Furthermore, health disparities in DV-TBI/CTE are rampant and are not being adequately addressed due to the paucity of knowledge among service providers and practitioners to address this pervasive health issue. This webinar is tailored to bridge these system of care gaps. It aims to raise awareness and focus on how to address this silent and emergent DV-TBI/CTE pandemic impacting children, women, and men in the United States and globally.
Speaker: Maria E. Garay-Serratos
1.5 hours of VSP credit available.
Click here to register.
EL013 From Crisis to Compassion: Supporting Advocate and Survivor Well-Being
Domestic and sexual violence can have significant effects on health and well-being, including increased risk for distressing mental health experiences. Many advocates and programs feel unprepared to support survivors through these challenges, and at the same time, advocates often experience their own burnout, secondary trauma, and emotional exhaustion. This session explores the intersections of domestic violence, trauma, and mental health, while offering tangible tools to support both survivor and staff well-being. Participants will learn about trauma stewardship, practice mind-body-spirit strategies from A Wildflower Path: Healing in Hard Times and use the Guide for Emotional Support to facilitate supportive conversations and develop emotional support plans. The session also introduces a simple three-step approach for moments when survivors are in distress and unable to express what they need, helping advocates respond with grounding, safety, and compassion.
Speaker: Amanda Lyon
1.5 hours of VSP credit available.
Click here to register.
EL014 Neurobiology of Sexual Assault Trauma Part 1
Traumatic experiences have immediate and powerful effects on the human brain. This presentation explains how stress and trauma can alter brain functioning during sexual assaults and other traumas. Participants will learn about the key brain circuitries impacted by stress and trauma, including the prefrontal cortex and the defense and habit circuitries. Participants will gain increased understanding of brain-based experiences and behaviors – including why “reflexes and habits” is a better framework than “fight, flight, freeze, fawn.” This presentation provides a critical foundation for learning and applying trauma-informed responses with people who have been assaulted.
Speaker: Jim Hopper
1.5 hours of VSP credit available.
Click here to register.
EL015 Neurobiology of Sexual Assault Trauma Part 2
Traumatic experiences have immediate and powerful effects on the human brain. This presentation explains how stress and trauma can alter memory processes during sexual assaults and other traumas. Participants will learn key principles of memory processing and how they can be affected during extremely stressful experiences, including via impacts of the defense circuitry on the episodic memory circuitry. Participants will gain increased understanding of how and why trauma can alter memory processes, a critical foundation for learning and applying trauma-informed responses with people who have been assaulted.
Speaker: Jim Hopper
1.5 hours of VSP credit available.
Click here to register.
EL016 Sextortion in the Digital Age
Sextortion is one of the fastest-growing forms of technology-facilitated abuse, and it is becoming easier to perpetrate than ever before. From coordinated scams targeting young people to AI-generated nonconsensual intimate images, perpetrators are leveraging new tools to exploit and coerce at scale, often across borders and with devastating speed. With recent data showing sharp increases in cases, informed, coordinated responses are urgently needed. Join SCCADVASA and Belle Torek, attorney and Tech Safety Specialist at NNEDV’s Safety Net Project, for a comprehensive webinar unpacking how sextortion works in practice, the tactics perpetrators use, and the real-world impacts on survivors. This session will explore emerging trends, including the growing role of AI-generated content, and examine the current legal and policy landscape shaping responses to this form of abuse.
Speaker: Belle Torek
1.5 hours of VSP credit available.
Click here to register.
