Child Abuse Pediatrics
Our child abuse pediatricians are powerful advocates for children. They often are the "voice" for many children who otherwise would not be heard. These specialists also serve as a vital resource to the community by accurately diagnosing child abuse and neglect and dedicating their efforts to prevention.
Child abuse pediatrics: Our expertise
UF Health Child Protection and Forensic Pediatrics in Jacksonville is a regional, state and national leader in the prevention, detection and care for all types of child abuse and neglect.
- The team provides direct patient care as well as offers valuable consultation and support to primary care physicians and other health care professionals working in the clinical setting.
- Our specialists consult with area agencies on child safety, provide expertise in courts of law and treat the consequences of abuse and neglect.
- They also direct programs to prevent child abuse and neglect and participate on multidisciplinary teams that investigate and manage child abuse cases.
- The Child Protection Team bases its work on the idea that child abuse and neglect involve many complex issues and thus require the expertise of many professionals.
- Our local team provides oversight to the Florida Department of Health's statewide Child Protection Team Program.
Services we offer
UF Health Child Protection and Forensic Pediatrics in Jacksonville provides the following services:
- Child and family assessments
- Expert court testimony
- Medical diagnosis and evaluation of suspected child abuse and neglect, including sexual abuse
- Psychological and psychiatric evaluations
- Specialized and forensic interviews
- Telemedicine program to assist physicians in detecting child abuse in their local sites
- Training for child protection investigators
- Training for emergency room staff and other community medical providers on mandatory referral criteria
- Training for medical students, residents and graduate physicians on recognition and preventive practices for child abuse and neglect