2016 Pediatric Forensic & Law Enforcement Medical Summit
Please join us in education community partners in identifying, reporting, responding, and the successful prosecution of child abuse. Space is limited, please register by April 8th.
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What We Do
Heritage-TowersChildren’s Tree House (CTH) Children’s Advocacy Center effectively protects the children of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit by providing one centralized, state-of-the-art location for consolidating the investigative, prosecuting, social services, medical, and mental health professionals into one collaborative effort for abused children.
Child victims of suspected abuse, exploitation, and/or witness to violent crimes undergo forensic interviews by trained and certified forensic interviewers. All interviews are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team comprised of investigative and other child welfare professionals.
The Forensic Medical Exam Program is facilitated by two Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) and provides immediate medical evaluation for victims of sexual and physical abuse. Through a partnership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the SANEs receive supervision from a Pediatric Forensic Pathologist and Child Abuse Specialists using telemedicine equipment.
All services are provided at no cost to the victim and their families in a child friendly environment. Trauma focused counseling is provided for all victims and/or non-offending caregivers regardless of ability to pay.
CTH’s multidisciplinary approach brings together seven core disciplines:
Department of Family and Children Services
Law enforcement
Mental health professionals
Medical treatment providers
School system
District Attorney’s Office
Child Advocacy Center
Who We Serve
CTH Child Advocacy Center serves child victims of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, sex trafficking, exploitation, neglect, and witness to homicide and violent crimes. The children served by CTH are 0-17 years of age and are located within the six-county Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit, including Fort Benning military installation. CTH also serves adults 18 years of age and older with developmental disabilities.
Our Goals
To reduce the number of child abuse interviews for the victim by developing collaboration between government agencies
To improve the legal process for non-offending caregivers by moving the investigation along and resulting in fewer foster care placements for abused children
To provide an atmosphere where a legally sound forensic interview can take place, which can increase confessions, prosecution rates, and convictions for perpetrators
To keep the child victim at the center of all services, and reduce the potential trauma caused by abuse and to keep the focus on the needs of the child victim