NU Online News Service, Nov. 15, 12:38 p.m. EST

The Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) announced apartnership with the National Center for Missing and ExploitedChildren (NCMEC) to endorse its 9-1-1 Call Center PartnerProgram.

The program recognizes agencies that adopt best practices forhandling 9-1-1 calls involving missing and/or sexually exploitedchildren, PRIMA said.

To promote the adoption of these best practices, PRIMA also has agreed to endorsethe ANSIstandard 1.101.2-2010 with the hope of increasing its adoption bypublic entities throughout the United States.

"By endorsing this program, PRIMA is recognizing the linkbetween the success of a program to increase child safety and areduction in risk to public entities that operate 9-1-1 centers,"said Lisa Lopinsky, PRIMA executive director. "A partnership withNCMEC was an obvious choice because many of our members operate9-1-1 centers."

She noted that the extensive work NCMEC has done to establishthis standard will benefit those entities and increase thelikelihood of a positive outcome when a child is in danger. "Ourgoal is to help NCMEC garner more participation in this importantprogram," she said.

Every 9-1-1 call center must have in place policies and trainingto help ensure that every missing and sexually exploited child isgiven the best chance to be found alive and unharmed.

As part of this partnership, PRIMA said it will work to educateits members on becoming a NCMEC 9-1-1 Call Center Partner in orderto obtain the skills and resources needed to respond to calls aboutmissing and/or exploited children.

Representatives from NCMEC will participate in PRIMA's AnnualConference in Portland, Ore., in June 2011, as part of thisinitiative.

Interested entities may learn how to become a 9-1-1 Partner atwww.missingkids.com/911.