Military Community Advocacy: Programs Shaping Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) and Harmful Behaviors In Children and Youth Policy

Join us for a webinar featuring a key partner in NCA's national military memorandums of understanding. In this webinar, participants will learn about Department of Defense (DOD) Military Community Advocacy (MCA) programs and policies, including the Family Advocacy Program. Topics to be covered will include an overview of the teams that make up MCA, an introduction to the role of the Family Advocacy Program, policy priorities, and more. During the live event, participants will have the opportunity for Q&A and discussion with MCA Director, Lolita Allen. The webinar will be recorded and available for viewing on NCA Engage after the live event.

Lolita Allen, LCSW

Director, Military Community Advocacy

Department of Defense Military Community Advocacy

Lolita Allen is the Director, Military Community Advocacy (MCA) programs for the Office of Force Resiliency. As Director, she is responsible for the leadership, management and oversight of congressionally mandated programs and policies focused on preventing, intervening and responding to domestic abuse, child abuse and neglect, as well as problematic and harmful behaviors in military children and youth.

Career:

Prior to joining MCA, she served as the Counseling, Advocacy and Prevention Program Manager (CAP) for Headquarters Navy, Commander Navy Installation Command (CNIC). In that position she served as the technical expert and principal advisor to CNIC and was directly responsible for the execution of policy for CAP programs across 81 Navy installations. Within this program’s portfolio was the Family Advocacy Program, Deployed Resiliency Counselors, Sailor Assistance Intercept for Life, New Parent Support Program and the Non-medical Clinical Counseling program.

Ms. Allen’s career encompasses more than 27 years of supporting military families. She started her career as an Intern at the then, Navy Base Anacostia while in graduate school in 1996. Her work experience in direct services with the Family Advocacy Program have been fulfilled with the Army, Navy and Air Force. Lolita is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Virginia and Georgia.

Education:

Ms. Allen earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Fayetteville State University, her Master of Social Work degree from the Howard University School of Social Work, and her Doctor in Social Work from University of Southern California.