VCU news

By Mike Porter

School of Social Work alumnus and adjunct instructor Ian Danielsen has been recognized by several entities recently for his contributions to child advocacy and safety.

Danielsen, who received his master's degree in social work from VCU in 1992, was honored recently by the FBI at the regional and national levels, receiving the Director’s Community Leadership Award in recognition of his commitment and contribution to public safety.

Danielsen and 57 other recipients were recognized by Director Robert S. Mueller III in a ceremony held March 16 at FBI Headquarters. The recipients were selected by their area FBI field offices for making outstanding contributions to their local communities and demonstrating a commitment to improving the lives of their neighbors.

In addition, the Richmond FBI Division honored Danielsen on March 9, presenting him with a certificate announcing his selection.

Danielsen, who is coordinator of the Greater Richmond Child Advocacy Center, was honored for his support of FBI investigative efforts to keep children safe.

“My social work education and training, with its focus on best practices, social justice and evidence-based advocacy, played an integral part in my being able to do this kind of work,” Danielsen said. “I’m super flattered and humbled at receiving this award.”

Since 2006, Danielsen has worked to assist FBI victim specialists and case agents by clearing schedules of the Child Advocacy Center facility in order to provide private meeting space for investigators and victims, assisting in the production of videotaped interviews of child victims and coordinating additional services as needed.

In response to increasing trends in child abuse and neglect, the national Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) organization opened the Richmond area’s first Child Advocacy Center in 2004. The center provides child forensic interviews, mental health treatments, medical services and victim advocacy and case tracking.

Child Advocacy Center volunteers work to reduce trauma to the abused, provide immediate crisis support, increase communication and collaboration in support of prosecution of offenders and offer parenting skills classes.

“We want to help make the system less traumatizing for children when there is a child abuse investigation,” Danielsen said. “We work to make sure kids aren’t interviewed repeatedly and unnecessarily and we want to provide them with a safe atmosphere during questioning.”

Danielsen also received recognition from the state on April 2 when he was honored by the Governor’s Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect for his commitment to improving the lives of children.

The advisory board award recognizes Danielsen’s efforts to ensure highly trained forensic interviewers are available to children in the Richmond area, noting “as a result of his efforts, victims of severe child abuse in the Greater Richmond Area have a high level of case management, an improved referral process, a coordinated response for all cases of child abuse and access to a psychologically and physically safe place for children to receive services.”

The Governor’s Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect awards were presented at the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month Conference in Richmond.

Danielsen also received a Richmond Police Department “Service to Law Enforcement” award for his efforts.  On Feb 1, Police Chief Bryan T. Norwood honored Danielsen, other community members and police personnel for their work in 2011 to make Richmond a safer city.