Rachel is currently a Senior and this will be her third year in the Child Maltreatment Lab. She is studying to earn her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology with minors in Sociology and Child, Youth, and Family Studies. Her current role in the lab is assisting Jessie Pogue with her dissertation by coding previous intake and forensic interviews which have been categorized as non-disclosure, disclosure, and re-victimization. As well, Rachel has also been assisting with a prosocial playgroup during Project SAFE’s group nights.
This upcoming year, Rachel will be working with a fellow Child Maltreatment Lab member and participating in the Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experience (UCARE) program, working under Kate Theimer, M. A. and Dr. David Hansen. She will be presenting research topics exploring the effectiveness of Project SAFE group treatment in helping victims, parents, and siblings cope with the difficulties of sexual abuse - focusing on this treatments impact on externalizing problems and the variables influencing victim and family resiliency.
Outside of the lab, Rachel has been a Student Worker at the Psychological Consultation Center through UNL. She assists the therapists with confidential client files and documentation. This previous summer, Rachel has been provided the opportunity for an internship at the Child Advocacy Center (CAC). Completing 286 hours, she experienced the three rotations of Advocate, Forensic Interviewer, and Case Coordination at the CAC. Among the Advocate rotation, Rachel observed the non-offending caregiver (NOC) meetings, court school, sentencing, and creating summarizes of the child’s visit and NOC meetings. The second rotation, Forensic Interviewer, she has observed the child’s recorded interview on behalf of Law Enforcement and DHHS and concluded factual summaries of the child’s disclosure or non-disclosure. During the final rotation, Case Coordination, Rachel observes all of the intakes which have been accepted through the Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline, organizes them among priority and category, and summarizes the abuse. As well, she meets with the surrounding counties and Lincoln’s Multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and discusses all of the children who have been seen at the CAC.
Although her schedule remains busy, Rachel sets aside the time to volunteer for the Friendship Home. Receiving her undergraduate degree in May 2018, Rachel plans to pursue her Masters in Social Work with a Clinical Concentration in the fall. She aspires to become an Advocate for a CAC and focus her interests on at-risk children and their families.