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2016-37 LAKE COUNTY SUMTER COUNTY 300 5 Canal 5t 1601 VV Gulf Atlantic Hwy Leesburg, FL 34748 Wildwood, FL 34785 Phone (352) 323-8303 LAKE SUMTER Phone (352) 748-3156 Fax (352) 323-1394 Gnil,drev,'s Aolvoe.&dui GetAter ANIMMINE Memorandum of Agreement CHILD ABUSE INVESTIGATIVE PROTOCOL May 1, 2016 to May 1, 2019 The Lake Sumter Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) recognizes that the strength of the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) is the varied training and expertise that each member contributes In addition, it is understood team members must abide by Florida Statutes, their employers' policies and/or agency protocols. The MDT is comprised of a group of identified individuals (or their designees) who respond together to allegations of abuse (as defined by this agreement) m Lake and Sumter Counties This group also meets at regularly scheduled times to serve as the case review team for cases referred to the MDT for review. Criteria for cases referred to the MDT are defined m this document. The MOA is signed by identified agency directors or senior management who have reviewed the MOA and agree to the procedures outlined herein. The MOA will be reviewed and updated every three years. This review process will be initiated by the Executive Director of the CAC Each team member will follow their approved protocol for investigating alleged child sexual abuse and/or physical abuse The identified participants agree to abide by this memorandum of Agreement m an effort to ensure e Timely response to alleged child abuse allegations m Lake and Sumter Counties e Coordination of investigative,prosecution and treatment efforts. e Child victims access needed services in a child-friendly environment e Child victims and/or children at risk of abuse are protected from imminent harm e Child victims are seen in Lake or Sumter County e Victims and alleged offenders are kept separate at all times. Composition of the Team The MDT will be facilitated by the CAC Clinical Supervisor. The team may be composed of representatives of the following agencies and disciplines: e Lake Sumter Children's Advocacy Center rr Like cb,./2-3f,;‘ ...rtb, T C C C 11111 e a IL e, � �Al CHILDRENS - , ALLIANCE -" - - ----- _r---- - -- `- �r� et tetcreds 1 • Lake Sumter Children's Advocacy Center Child Protection Team (CPT) • Department of Cluldren and Families(DCF) • Lake Sumter Children's Advocacy Center Clinical Supervisor • Sheriff's Office • Local Law Enforcement • State Attorney's Office • Lake Sumter Children's Advocacy Center Victim Advocate • School Social Workers- • Guardian ad Litem Case Referral Criteria: Children between the ages of birth to 18 who meet the cntena below are referred for CPT services. Sub section 39.303 (2) Florida Statutes specifies the types of cases that must be referred by DCF to CPT for assessment and other appropnate available support services Mandatory referral cases include those mvolvmg • Injuries to the head,bruises to the neck or head, burns, or fractures m a child of any age • Bruises anywhere on a child five years of age or younger • Any report alleging sexual abuse of a child • Any sexually transimtted disease in a prepubescent child • Reported medical neglect of a child • Any family m which one or more children have been pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital or other health care facility, or have been injured and later dies, as a result of suspected abuse, abandonment, or neglect,when any sibling or other child remains m the home. • Symptoms of serious emotional problems in a child when emotional or other abuse, abandonment, or neglect is suspected Non-mandatory cases may also be referred and will be staffed with the Senior Case Coordinator to determine if forensic interviews and or medical exams are appropriate Investigating members of the MDT(Law Enforcement and DCF)will be able to utilize the CAC to facilitate taped forensic interviews and medical exams. A forensic interview or forensic medical exam can be scheduled by first calling the CAC Child Protection Team (CPT) Senior Case Manager at (352-323-8303)to staff the case. If CPT determines the case meets the cntena for a forensic interview or forensic medical exam, as determined by critena in the CPT Handbook and listed above, it will be scheduled The CAC agrees to make the Center available for such interviews/exams during regular business hours (8 30AM to 5 OOPM Monday through Friday- 352-323-8303), or afterhours for cases that are determined by Law Enforcement, DCF and CPT to be an emergency The emergency on-call phone will be available afterhours, on weekends, and holidays at(352-459-3058) DCF will notify the appropriate Law Enforcement Agency of the date and time of the forensic interview and/or medical exam 2 The Department of Children&Families,Circuit 5,and Protective Investigation Unit will: • Investigate alleged child abuse within the guidelines of Statute 39 • In those cases where Law Enforcement assumes pnmary investigative junsdiction, DCF shall coordinate with the mvestigating Law Enforcement agency pnor to scheduling a forensic interview and/or forensic medical examination of a child victim • Transport, accompany, or meet the child victim at the CAC for the purpose of a forensic interview and/or forensic medical examination • Provide,to CPT intake person,pertinent information about the alleged abuse, as well as family history regarding pnor investigations; time frame of most recent event, details related to where the abuse took place, information related to collaborating statements of family members, teachers or neighbors • Consult with law enforcement, CPT, State Attorney's Office and/or other community professionals regarding the necessity of conducting a medical examination for the purpose of collecting evidence of abuse • Provide information on the case disposition for case tracking purposes • Refer child victims to the CAC for counseling,when appropnate • Designate appropnate Child Protective Investigator to participate in Multi-disciplinary Team Case Review held the 1st and 3`d Wednesday of every month at 9 15AM at the CAC (Lake County) or the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month in room 2175 of the DCF Building m Wildwood(Sumter County),to ensure child victims access all available and necessary services • Participate in emergency Multidisciplinary Team Case Review when appropnate Determination of Crucial Information: The DCF investigator will determine the following • validity of the complaint • extent of the injuries • need for immediate emergency medical treatment • existence of pnor abusive reports • extent additional referrals are made for medical evaluations that may be required to collect evidence, including notifying law enforcement prior to any forensic medical exam • need to remove the child from an abusive environment The evaluation(interview and examination)done to determine this information shall be conducted m a manner which preserves the health and dignity of the child while obtaining the facts necessary to pursue the case through legal channels Every effort should be made to interact with the child in a non-threatening, child friendly environment such as the CAC DCF shall immediately_notify the appropnate Law Enforcement Agency, if required,upon receipt of a child abuse complaint and shall provide the agency with a copy of the complaint. 3 The appropriate Law Enforcement investigator is to be notified by DCF prior to the medical exam or forensic interview. The DCF investigator should obtain the LE case number to determine the detective assigned to the case E-mail and telephone communication should be utilized to contact other agencies A specially trained CPT interviewer will conduct the Forensic Interview at the CAC by scheduled appointment Taped interviews are evidence,they become the property of LE smce the rules of evidence custody will apply Forensic Interviews should be in conjunction with the medical exam,when possible Referrals Investigators are to contact CPT to refer all cases mandated by Chapter 39 Non-mandatory cases may also be referred at DCF's discretion Non-mandatory cases will be staffed with the Senior Case Coordinator to determine the need for a Forensic interview/medical exam Investigators should be prepared to provide the following information • Child's name, date of birth, social security number • Race and gender • Parents and siblmg(s)name,date of birth, social secunty number(if available) • Address/City, all applicable telephone numbers • Allegation made • Most recent contact with alleged perpetrator • Is the situation considered emergent and why • Current location`of the child • Child's current safety status • Prior DCF reports on family • Observations and statements from child and other household members Community Law Enforcement will: • Notify DCF if determination is made that the case involves DCF • Participate in the initial contact investigation of alleged child abuse that may result m criminal charges • Provide pertinent information relevant to the case to include 1. Child's name, date of birth, social secunty number 2 Race and gender 3. Parents and sibling(s)name, date of birth, social security number(if available) 4 Address/City, all applicable telephone numbers 5 Allegation made • Most recent contact with alleged perpetrator • Is the situation considered emergent and why, • Current location of the child/current safety status of the child 4 • Request a forensic medical examination from CPT immediately,or no later than within 72 hours, for children sexually victimized for the collection of DNA and other evidence, when needed • Share relevant information related to the alleged abuse with Multidisciplinary Team • Provide information, as provided by law, on the case disposition for case tracking purposes • Refer child victims to the CAC for counselmg,when appropnate • Case Detective or designee will participate in Multi-disciplinary Team Case Review held the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month at 9 15AM at the CAC (Lake County) or the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month m room 2175 of the DCF Building in Wildwood (Sumter County), to ensure child victims access all available and necessary services • Case Detective or designee will participate in emergency Multidisciplmary Team Case Review when appropnate The State Attorney's Office will: • Observe the video-taped forensic interview as requested and available • Assist law enforcement and DCF m determining the validity of criminal prosecution • Provide information on the case disposition for case tracking purposes. • Share relevant information related to the alleged abuse with MDT • Provide the SAO Victim Advocate who will 1 Educate the family about the criminal justice system 2 Keep the family appnsed throughout the criminal justice process • Participate m Multi-disciplinary Team Case Review held the 1St and 3rd Wednesday of every month at 9 15AM at the CAC(Lake County) or the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month in room 2175 of the DCF Building m Wildwood(Sumter County),to ensure child victims access all available and necessary services • Refer child victims to the CAC for counseling,when appropnate • Participate in emergency Multidisciplinary Team Case Review when appropnate The Lake Sumter Children's Advocacy Center/Child Protection Team will: • Determine the initial need for a forensic medical exam based upon reported allegations and observations reported by the Protective Investigator, Law Enforcement, and/or information gathered during the forensic interview • Determine the need for a forensic interview based upon cntena established in this MOA • Provide a Forensic Interviewer who has been trained m accordance with the APSAC guidelines • Conduct a video-taped forensic interview at the request of law enforcement or DCF when it is deemed appropnate and meets established cntena • Provide a qualified medical provider trained specifically in child abuse to provide timely 5 medical exams for alleged abused children • Provide, at minimum, a verbal report to investigators at the conclusion of the medical examination and/or interview • Provide written CPT reports to DCF and/or law enforcement within 10 business days of the medical exam and/or interview • Provide a written CPT report of a social assessment to DCF and/or law enforcement within 20 business days • Facilitate quarterly partner meetings to include MDT members to allow feedback on the CAC/CPT procedures and operational policies This meeting will also allow discussion on team communication issues and other issues affecting case progression Meeting will be facilitated by the CPT Team Coordinator • Participate in Multi-disciplinary Team Case Review held the 1st and 3`d Wednesday of every month at 9.15AM at the CAC (Lake County)or the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month in room 2175 of the DCF Building m Wildwood(Sumter County),to ensure child victims access all available and necessary services • Participate in emergency Multidisciplinary Team Case Review when appropriate The Lake Sumter Children's Advocacy Center will: • Provide a neutral, child friendly, safe environment where child victims can receive services • Provide a volunteer Victim Advocate to child victims and non-offending family members when required • Provide crisis intervention during the initial visit and as needed to the child victims and their non-offending family members • Provide crisis counseling to child victims and family members as needed • Provide workspace,as available,to law enforcement,protective investigators and the State Attorney's Office • provide court education to child victim and family utilizing CAC Volunteer Victim Advocate • disseminate child abuse statistical information, as appropnate, within the community • create community awareness related to the issues of child abuse • coordinate penodic community training to improve skill level m the investigation of child abuse and service provision to child abuse victims • Track case information until final disposition in NCAtrak database and share with MDT members as appropriate • Provide counseling to child victims of abuse,utilizing Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral therapy, and make outside referrals to other mental health agencies when appropriate • Facihtate and participate in Multi-disciplinary Team Case Review held the 1st and 3`d Wednesday of every month at 9.15AM at the CAC (Lake County) or the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month in room 2175 of the DCF Building in Wildwood(Sumter County),tolensure child victims access all available and necessary services 6 ® Facilitate and participate in emergency Multidisciplinary Team Case Review when appropriate Team Information Sharing e Information about child abuse allegations, investigations, charges, and any evidence collected will be shared among the team members at the MDT meetmgs m accordance with Florida statutes and relevant judicial rules All proceedings of team meetmgs will be confidential and signed statements of confidentiality will be maintained for each case reviewed by the team Legal, ethical, and professional standards of practice will be upheld to ensure client privacy. MDT Case review meetings: • The MDT will meet for case review on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month in Lake County Meeting will be held at 9 15AM at the CAC at 300 S Canal St , Leesburg, FL All participating agencies will be notified of the docket for case review in advance of the MDT meeting Scheduling, docket preparation and distribution for Lake County will be the responsibility of the Semor CPT Case Coordinator at the CAC The MDT will meet in Sumter County on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 9 30AM at the DCF office in Wildwood, FL Scheduling, docket preparation and distribution for Sumter County will also be the responsibility of the Senior Case Coordinator • Case review meetings will be utilized as an opportunity for team members to increase their understanding of the complexity of child abuse cases • Recommendations for further action will be noted by the CAC Clinical Supervisor who serves as the MDT Facilitator In regards to the Forensic Interview. A forensic interview is a structured interview to elicit a complete and accurate narrative of facts from the alleged child or adolescent victim m a manner that is legally sound, neutral, and fact finding m nature,to determine whether the child or adolescent has been abused(or is at imminent risk of abuse) and, if so,by whom Forensic interviews are conducted by a trained CAC/CPT interviewer A forensic interview is conducted with the alleged victim child only,while a speciahzed interview may extend to family members or other parties m a child abuse investigation The date and time of the interview is documented in the chronological case progress record of the case file, along with the names and roles of all persons observing the interview Documentation of the written report includes the following- • Date of the interview • Location of the interview 7 r i • Name of the CPT case coordinator or other trained professional conducting the interview • Abuse Report number • Name of the child being interviewed and DOB • The agency or individual requesting the interview • Summary of the interview • Interview findmgs (related to the alleged abuse or neglect and any other pertinent • information) • Method of recording the interview(if recorded) While there are no established guidelines that set specific ages for determination of the appropnateness for interviewing children forensically,there are research studies that suggest that children under the age of 4 are at higher susceptibility for suggestibility and memory issues than older children Decisions to interview children under the age of 4 should be based on a sound and thorough developmental assessment This assessment will be done by CPT m collaboration with DCF and/or Law Enforcement All forensic interviewers will complete the 40 hour APSAC training on forensic interviews Forensic Interview Protocol: • DCF CPI and/or Law Enforcement shall contact CPT to staff the case with the Senior Case Coordinator and request a forensic interview Interview will be scheduled by CPT when it is deemed appropriate and meets critena established in the CPT handbook and this MOA The CPT handbook is available for review by MDT members CPT will attempt to schedule the interview at a time best suited for DCF, Law Enforcement and the family • Interviews will be conducted by CAC/CPT trained staff m a manner consistent with APSAC suggested standards for forensic interviews Each child will be evaluated individually and appropriate APSAC interview components will be utilized The following components may be utilized for the forensic interview 1 Introduction of Self,Role and Purpose of the Interview 2 Informing child about documentation method 3 Reviewing"Ground Rules"with child. Givmg permission to say"I don't know" Giving permission to correct interviewer mistakes Giving permission to admit lack of understanding 4 Convey to the child that the interviewer does not know what happened and can't help the child with his/her answers. 5 Give permission to admit lack of memory. 6 Give permission not to answer 7 Explain repeated questions 8 Truth/Lie Discussion 8 - • Eliciting a promise to tell the truth • Assessing truth/lie competency 9 Narrative event practice 10 Introducing topic of concern 11 Substantive questions to gather details 12 Closure • The CPT Team Coordinator will determine which Forensic Interviewer is appropriate for the case This will be determined by the availability of each interviewer,prior contact with the child, objectivity,knowledge of forensic interviewing techniques, experience in interviewing child victims, ability to establish rapport with the child, and any special needs such as language, cultural considerations etc The Team Coordinator will also determine the need for any interpreters if the child speaks another language or if the child requires a sign language interpreter DCF has a working relationship with the Florida Deaf Academy to provide sign language interpreters if needed The CAC also currently has 2 trained forensic interviewers who speak Spanish If other languages are required,the CAC maintains alhst of interpreters or is able to access interpreters through the Language Line through DCF • To ensure privacy for the child, observing the interview will be limited to those MDT investigative members.directly involved in the investigation(Law Enforcement and DCF) This will assist in coordinating information gathering to avoid duplication by team members • The CPT Case Coordinator will meet with appropriate law enforcement, DCF personnel and other MDT investigative members prior to the interview to ascertain any necessary information and/or questions prior to the interview • Developmental and cultural factors that may influence communication between the child and the interviewer will be explored and addressed This is accomplished through a pre-interview with the parents/caretakers to identify any developmental issues that the child may have or any cultural factors that may impact the interview • Interview will be recorded on the CAC I Record System DCF, State Attorney, and Law Enforcement will receive a copy of the recorded interview on DVD upon request m accordance with Florida Statutes • CPT Case coordinator will utilize language appropriate to the child victims' individual developmental level • There is opportumty for team members to communicate with one another before the interview is concluded. This will usually be accomplished by the forensic interviewer taking a short break before the end of the interview to confer with team • A written report to Child Protective Investigator and/or Law Enforcement will be provided by the CPT mterviewer within 10 days of the conclusion of the interview Forensic Medical Exam The determination to conduct a medical exam must be evaluated individually, however the Florida Department of Health suggested guidelines to CPT include 9 • Acute physical and/or sexual abuse • Allegations of medical neglect The medical exam is often an important corroborative part of the investigation The physical examination of a child has several purposes • Ensure the health and safety of the child • Reassure the child about what has happened to his or her body • Identify and document physical and forensically significant findings that may be a result of the alleged abuse The examination may also serve to diagnose and treat medical conditions related to the child's physical and/or sexual abuse including sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy Law Enforcement and DCF are responsible for consulting with the CPT to request a medical exam by calling 352-323-8303 All pertment information such as documentation of body bruising, vaginal or anal penetration, date of alleged penetration, etc.related to the request of forensic medical exam is to be communicated to the CPT intake person Every effort will be made to coordinate the times of the forensic interview and the forensic medical exam m order to avoid duplicative history taking and interviewing Medical exams will be conducted at the CAC during the hours of 8 30AM to 5 OOPM Monday through Friday or afterhours on an emergency basis It is requested that the investigating officer and/or DCF accompany the child to the exam in order to provide pertinent information Situations requiring emergency exams: Urgent exams may be indicated m the following cases • Pre verbal children whose age makes injuries suspect • Children whose injuries make returning to their environment of origin potentially dangerous • Alleged sexual abuse in which there are evidence collection issues In regards to the Forensic Medical Exam, the CAC/CPT will: • Determine the initial need for a forensic medical exam based upon established criteria and the reported allegation and observations reported by the Protective Investigator and/or information gathered during the forensic interview • Provide a Children's Medical Services approved Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner or Pediatrician, approved by the Child Protection Team State Medical Director, to provide timely medical exams for alleged abused children • Provide, at a minimum, a verbal report to investigators and Law Enforcement accompanying the child to the exam at the conclusion of the medical examination • provide medical exam report for DCF/Law Enforcement within 10 days, or less, of examination • Document medical findings according to professional standards and share with the MDT as appropriate.Data regarding whether an exam was conducted,the medical provider's 10 name, and any findings will be documented m the CAC case tracking system(NCAtrak) • Convey the need for additional medical testing e g HIV, X-rays, CT scans, MRI's etc. to appropnate MDT members in order to maintain clear communications and a team effort to,protect the child • Following the collection/packagmg of specimens for STD testing,the CPT Medical Provider will contact LabCorp to pick the specimens up at the CAC Test results will be sent to CAC/CPT Medical provider • As per the Center for Disease Control STD guidelines, Plan B and prophylactic antibiotics will be dispensed when deemed necessary by the CPT medical provider • Evidence collected for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement(FDLE)will be packaged according to FDLE guidelines and given to Law Enforcement at the conclusion of the medical exam Mental Health Services will be offered to all clients and non-offending family members. The purpose of mental health services is 1 Reduce the emotional impact of disclosure of physical and/or sexual abuse and neglect 2 Promote healing, self-awareness, and self-growth 3 Change individual behavior and family relationships to reduce/eliminate the nsk of abuse/neglect occurring in the future • The CAC will provide Mental Health Services at no charge to child victims and their non-offending family members Mental Health services are accessible to all clients in several ways 1 Mental health services are offered to child and family during Cnsis counseling immediately following the forensic interview 2 Other community agencies may refer a child victim of abuse by completing the Counseling Referral Form and returning the form to the CAC Clinical Supervisor. The Clinical Supervisor will then follow-up with the family 3 Parents or caretakers can refer their child to services by contacting the CAC Clinical Supervisor 4 Self-referrals from children will also be accepted The Clinical Supervisor will follow up on these referrals and will obtain the necessary parent or caretaker permissions. • A client may opt to engage in mental health services from a private provider not located at the CAC A release of information signed by the parent/guardian will allow communication between the CAC and the private provider • Mental health records will be stored in a locked filing cabinet Online records are recorded in the CAC database,NCAtrak that is password protected • Mental Health services will be provided by designated qualified mental health staff All Mental Health Staff will be, at a minimum,Master's Level. • Counselors do not provide forensic interviews and forensic interviewers do not provide counseling These services are separate Additionally,the intent of mental health 11 services is for treatment and will not be investigative in nature The CAC Clinical Supervisor or designee will: • Participate in case review to assist in evaluatmg children's mental health treatment needs and monitor the child's mental health to share with MDT team • Provide information on mental health service options for child victim and non-offending family members • Accept referrals for counseling from the family of the victim or other agency representatives who may be working with the child • Conduct a Trauma Assessment on each child entering counseling The Children's Functional Assessment Rating Scale is administered to all children pre and post counseling The UCLA PSTD Reaction Index for Children/Adolescents is administered as appropnate • Provide an initial clinical assessment of the child victim and non-offending family members based on Cnsis Counseling provided after the Forensic Interview This will be reviewed by the clinical supervisor who will assign the case to a CAC counselor after the case is staffed m the weekly clinical staffing • Provide appropriate mental health services to the child victim based on their assessment results that incorporates Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Services may include individual counselmg, Family Counseling, Play Therapy,Animal Assisted Therapy,Art Therapy or Group Therapy • Refer to outside Mental Health Providers, who practice TF-CBT therapy, upon the family request • Record data that includes the provider's name,attendance information, and progress towards established goals m the CAC case tracking system • Provide individual or group therapy to the non-offending parent and/or other family members on an as needed basis or refer for services outside the CAC • Facilitate and participate in Multi-disciplinary Team Case Review held the 1St and 3rd Wednesday of every month at 9 15AM at the CAC (Lake County) or the 2°d and 4th Wednesday of every month m room 2175\of the DCF Building in Wildwood(Sumter County), to ensure child victims access all available and necessary services • Participate in emergency Multidisciplinary Case reviews when necessary The CAC will provide the following Victim Advocacy services: The pnmary role of the victim advocate is to provide information, cnsis intervention, and assistance to the child victim and'the victim's family Information regarding the dynamics of abuse and the MDT response to their case will be explained by the victim advocate Support services will also be offered by the victim advocate to include follow-up contact via in-person contact,phone or correspondence to victims and non-offending caregivers MDT members will coordmate and share information with the Victim Advocate pertaining to appropnate support services needed for the child victim and family Client feedback 12 information forms will be given on a penodic basis to non-offending parents and/or caretakers and returned to the Victim Advocate Coordinator for analysis The CAC will provide a Victim Advocate representative, when needed,to be a member of the Multidisciplinary Team The Victim Advocate will: • Provide information regarding the dynamics of abuse,the MDT response, and services offered at the CAC. • Provide the parties involved with information regarding the civil and/or criminal justice system and be a consistent contact person throughout the criminal justice process as needed • Provide the child victim and family with a better understanding of the criminal justice system and their role m it as needed. • Educate family about process and available therapeutic and legal services • Provide information and referral services to victim and family • Provide assistance to apply for Victim Compensation through the Attorney General's Office • Keep team members informed of the family dynamics and the child/family's attitude toward prosecution. • Accompany,the child and family to court when needed • Participate in Multi-disciplinary Team Case Review held the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month at 9 15AM at the CAC (Lake County) or the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month in room 2175 of the DCF Building m Wildwood(Sumter County),to ensure child victims access all available and necessary services • Participate m emergency Multidisciplmary Team Case Review when appropriate Multidisciplinary Team Case Review Protocol Multidisciplinary Team Case Review for Lake County will be conducted as a team approach on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month at the CAC beginning at 9 15AM at 300 S Canal St, Leesburg, FL or as caseloads require MDT Case Review for Sumter County will be held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at the DCF office in Wildwood, FL at 9 30AM The following format will be utilized Nothing in the Agreement is meant to supersede federal law, state statutes, or local ordinances In the event any provision in these guidelines becomes inconsistent with Federal law, state statutes, or local ordinances,the federal law, state statute, or local ordinance will prevail Multidisciplinary case reviews are meant to assist in the investigation and prosecution and to avoid gaps in the system of care for the child victim and their family Any investigative information shared at case review is within the total discretion of the originating agency Each agency shall 13 operate within their own specific guidelines, mandates,and procedures All parties shall keep confidential any information received as part of the multidisciplinary case review team pursuant to Florida statutes Section 119 07 MDT Case Review Procedure: • CAC Clinical Supervisor(or designated staff person)will facilitate MDT case reviews • team members will be notified by the Senior Case Coordinator through email in advance of cases to be reviewed • MDT members will sign confidentiality forms for each case reviewed • A verbal update will be presented at the MDT case review by each MDT member interacting with the designated victim and/or family • the formal medical report will be discussed by the CPT medical provider,when appropnate • A designated MDT member will take notes during the staffing These notes include a summary of the discussion,the action plan decided upon by the MDT,the person responsible for each action item and the due date for the item to be completed • Documentation of the MDT Case review is entered into the CAC NCAtrak data base • MDT members who are not able to attend the meeting will be provided with a call m number on a designated conference lme to participate They may contact the Senior Case Coordinator for this mformation Criteria for referral: • Serious physical injury or senous neglect • Sexual abuse of a child(after consultation with CPT intake personnel) • Three or more prior reports on any identified child • Complex cases that place a child at high risk for safety. • Chronic neglect that impacts safety and well-being of child. • Verified medical neglect of a child • Allegations of Human Trafficking of a child Multidisciplinary Team Training The CAC/CPT agrees to facilitate, and/or arrange periodic trammngs that will ensure all Multidnsciplmary Team members have a minimum level of comprehension of • child mterviewmg techniques • the role of law enforcement m child abuse cases • the role of the Department of Children &Families in child abuse cases • the role of the State Attorney's Office in child abuse cases • the role of the physician/ARNP m child abuse cases 14 ® the role of the CAC/CPT m child abuse cases • the role of a multidisciplinary team m child abuse cases. CONFIDENTIALITY MDT Members and/or their representatives will abide by the laws of confidentiality as outlined in Florida Statute regarding children who are victims of abuse At all times, confidentiality will be observed All members of the MDT will have access to information not available as public information. Team members are expected to be sensitive to the need to share information only"on a need to know basis " Upon execution of this Agreement by all parties, a copy of the signatory page for each agency will be provided to all participating agencies AgencyN e: C ,e (ON , CSI , ( Signature Dioc„1 way ��� , 0 (0� I t "c Printed/Typed Name Title 15