Model Protocol for Multidisciplinary Teams - Office of the Attorney ...

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GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMSWhile each multidisciplinary team will be structured somewhat differently, several keyobjectives will underlie their operation. These objectives are designed to meet the twoprimary goals of strengthening victim protection and intervention, and a maximization ofaccountability of the system. Although the agencies represented within this team havedivergent missions and procedures, these goals represent a common vision and interestshared by all members.GOAL: Safety and Concern for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse• To insure the immediate and future safety of the child victim and to minimizefurther trauma or revictimization which the child might experience;• To protect the rights of the child and the child's family;• To increase the chance of successful healing of the child victim by ensuringaccess to needed medical and mental health intervention;• To improve the investigation of child sexual abuse in order to minimize thenumber of victim interviews and to ensure interagency collaboration;• To protect the privacy interests of the child during the investigation and casereview process;• To identify deficiencies, inefficiencies or any lack of local resources which areneeded to help child abuse victims, and;• To develop corrective plans to address system weaknesses in order to makeneeded resources available and accessible to children and families.GOAL: Accountability of the Child Sexual Abuse Service System• To increase the quality of sexual abuse investigations and eliminate theduplication of efforts by service providers and investigators;• To increase the safety of communities through the conviction and implementationof appropriate penalties for sexual offenders;• To avoid the possibility of any child or family's case "falling through the cracks" ofthe service system;• To hold all professionals involved in child sexual abuse cases to the higheststandard of professional conduct;• To identify means of improving the overall service system and to advocate for theimplementation of those improvements;• To maximize ways in which survivors and family members can have a voice inhow the system in the local community works on behalf of child sexual abusevictims, and;• To collect and maintain accurate information regarding the investigation andprosecution of child sexual abuse cases.10
ROLES OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM MEMBERSIntroductionOne of the strengths of multidisciplinary teams is the divergent perspective and uniqueexpertise that each team member brings to the group as a whole. Teams that functionmost effectively are those that fully understand the roles of individual members withintheir respective agencies or organizations and their roles as team members. Thesections below identify the individualized responsibilities and functions ofmultidisciplinary team members. They are categorized by professionals considered"core" team members and those professionals or organizations whose participation maynot be required, but would enhance the team's operation. First, several keyresponsibilities are identified which are common to all team members.Key Responsibilities Common to All Team Members• Keep as a priority -- the best interest of the child;• Cross-train other team members;• Attend team meetings and actively participate in the team's activities;• Work and communicate in a cooperative manner with other agencies on themultidisciplinary team, while maintaining the privacy interests of the child and theconfidentiality of the case review process;• Report to appropriate law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and the team if achild discloses being coerced or threatened by anyone and any other significantdevelopments in the case, and;• Report to the Department for Community Based Services, appropriate lawenforcement, prosecutor, or the team if there is any further information ordisclosure of abuse by the victim (KRS 620.030).Core Team MembersEach local community will offer unique resources and strengths in the agenciesavailable to intervene in child sexual abuse cases. Even though the exact compositionof multidisciplinary teams may differ by county or jurisdiction, several professionals areconsidered "core" team members. Core team members actively participate in theinvestigation and prosecution of child sexual abuse cases. These are the individualswhom organizers should seek to actively participate in the earliest stages ofdevelopment of the team. They include the Cabinet for Families and Children(Department for Community Based Services) and law enforcement officers (KRS620.040(7)(b)) and Commonwealth's and county attorneys (KRS 15.727). Additional11
Page 1 and 2: KENTUCKY MULTIDISCIPLINARY COMMISSI
Page 3 and 4: INTRODUCTIONStatement of the Proble
Page 5 and 6: sexual victimization of Kentucky's
Page 7 and 8: Kentucky Multidisciplinary Teams: C
Page 9: Kentucky Multidisciplinary Commissi
Page 13 and 14: should establish procedures for the
Page 15 and 16: upon by the prosecutor and local te
Page 17 and 18: or psychiatrists licensed pursuant
Page 19 and 20: workers providing case work service
Page 21 and 22: OPERATION OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Page 23 and 24: JOINT INVESTIGATION FUNCTION OF THE
Page 25 and 26: Investigative ProceduresEstablishin
Page 27 and 28: making, information sharing, hierar
Page 29 and 30: experience). In cases originating i
Page 31 and 32: CASE REVIEW FUNCTION OF THE MULTIDI
Page 33 and 34: Information Presented During the Ca
Page 35 and 36: health agency's overall consent for
Page 37 and 38: TRAINING FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM
Page 39: fully functioning. The system will

Model Protocol for Multidisciplinary Teams - Office of the Attorney ...

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