Partner Resources

• Please fill out the Partner Intake Form and Additional Child Intake Form (if necessary) and email to schedule@blueskybridge.org
• Someone will follow up with you and offer available dates and times and to ask for additional information, if needed
• Share the appointment dates and times with the caregivers and other investigative parties. Once you find a time that works for all parties, confirm with BSB that it is still available.
• Inform the caregiver that a Family Support Advocate will be calling them prior to the day of the appointment

• Arrive at Blue Sky Bridge 30 minutes prior to the case time
• Bring all case related information with you to share with the team
• Know your departments policy about body camera use while at BSB

• Be prepared to meet with caregivers
• Be prepared to talk about next steps in your investigation

• You may reach Susana Avelar, the Intervention Team Director, at savelar@blueskybridge.org or 303-444-1388
• Complete a survey! As a valued member of Blue Sky Bridge, we want to hear your opinions and suggestions about the work of the team. Your feedback will help us find out what is
  working well and what changes are needed.

• Please reach out to one of the family support advocates to schedule a medical exam for a child
• The advocate will coordinate with our medical providers and the caregiver

Child abuse can impact the whole family, which is why our Family Support Program offers support to caregivers during and after the Forensic Interview. Our goal is to ensure that the adult(s) caring for the child are receiving the information and tools they need in order to move forward and heal. Our advocates can be reached at familysupport@blueskybridge.org or 303-444-1388.

VA Training Resources
It is vitally important that victim advocates remain current on developments in the fields relevant to their delivery of services to children and families and to continue to develop their expertise. Per Accreditation Standards, individuals who provide victim advocacy services to Blue Sky Bridge clients must demonstrate participation in ongoing education in the field of victim advocacy and child maltreatment consisting of a minimum of 8 contact hours every 2 years.

Click here to access training opportunities!

• What do I tell the family about their Blue Sky Bridge appointment?
  If a case of yours is scheduled for an appointment with us at Blue Sky Bridge you can let the family know that the forensic interview process is a safe place for both children and parents to talk about their experiences. The child will be interviewed one-on-one with a trained Forensic Interviewer in a trauma and developmentally informed way. The caregivers that accompany the child will meet at the same time with a Family Support Advocate to talk about their needs, make referrals to services, and go over community resources that could be beneficial. Please refer to this guide regarding preparing a family for their appointment.
• What do I do if the family does not have reliable transportation to the appointment?
  We can connect you with other VA services in the county that can also assist in transporting the family. Blue Sky Bridge can also arrange an Uber if the family doesn’t have the ability to transport themselves. As long as a parent, or custodian, can accompany the child to the appointment, we can accommodate for transportation issues.
• Can I drive them and be with parents during the appointment?
  Yes, you are more than welcome in their family support session if the family is willing. Please let us know if you are planning to accompany the family ahead of time.
• What should I share with Blue Sky Bridge about my case prior to the interview?
  If you have been working with the family prior to the forensic interview, please connect with us over email or via phone to alert us of your involvement. If the caregiver or parent has mental health or developmental delays or other issues that would be a barrier for them to understand or engage it is highly important for the Family Support Advocates to know ASAP. As part of the MDT information sharing is encouraged so we can provide all appropriate and necessary services to support and assist the family, this can include services already in place and pending referrals to ensure no duplication and quicker interventions. An ROI is not necessary to collaborate and share necessary information with us regarding shared cases. Please see the above tab for the Family Support Advocates contact information.
• I have a case with a child victim and think an FI is appropriate, what can I do?
  Thank you for thinking of us! You should consult the detective or officer assigned to the case and discuss whether they agree a forensic interview would be appropriate. If you would like to know more about what qualifies a child to have a forensic interview you can always call us.
• I would like to refer a family to your medical program, but they haven’t been to Blue Sky Bridge before. How do I do that?
  All medical appointments can be referred to either Family Support Advocate by email or phone call. Currently we have one day a week that our SANE nurse is on site conducting pediatric medical appointments.
  Please use this brochure as a guide to who may qualify for an appointment.