Using Multidisciplinary Teams
The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) is a groundbreaking approach to investigations dealing with children witnesses/victims.
Purpose
- Assists various disciplines in the reduction of agency procedures by decreasing the number of interviews a child must endure.
- This reduction focuses on eliminating inconsistent statements the child may give to authorities.
- Includes but not limited to doctors, prosecutors, child advocates, mental health professionals, and law enforcement officers. Each member brings a unique professional perspective to the team, enabling the MDT to examine the child physically and emotionally.
- Enables prosecutors to investigate, advise, and consult with the other professionals involved.
Forming a Multidisciplinary Team To Investigate Child Abuse
Colorado Law – No Colorado statutes require MDT’s for investigation. However, C.R.S. § 19-3-308 sets forth who coordinates the investigation of child abuse and neglect.
Federal Law
· Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (VCAA)
o Enacted by Congress in response to overwhelming reported child abuse cases.
o Because authorities were not meeting children’s needs, the VCAA enabled training for judges, attorneys, and anyone else engaged in federal child abuse cases.
o Only applicable in federal court.
o Requires federal officials to work with established multidisciplinary teams in local jurisdictions.
o Numerous agency professionals involved in over 2,000,000 reported child abuse and neglect cases each year.
o The system does not pay sufficient detail to the needs of the child.
o Calls for the need to enhance coordination among local community professional involved with the child.
· 42 USCS § 13002
o The Director of the Office of Victims of Crime will make grants available to build MDTs.
o The director shall ensure that the grants are awarded to large and small states, and to suburban, rural and urban jurisdictions.
o Requires the same agency representative who conducts the initial interview to conduct all subsequent interviews.
· 42 USCS § 13003
o Grants shall be made available to provide assistance to attorneys and others instrumental in the prosecution of child abuse cases in State or Federal court.
· 18 USCA §3509(g)(1)
o A multidisciplinary child abuse team shall be used when it is feasible to do so. The court shall work with state and local governments that have established multidisciplinary child abuse teams designed to assist child victims and child witnesses.
o Role of multidisciplinary team is to provide for a child services that the team members are capable of providing, including:
· Medical diagnoses
· Telephone consultation services
· Medical evaluations related to abuse or neglect
· Psychological and psychiatric diagnoses and evaluations
· Training services for judges, litigators, court officers, and others who are involved in child victim and child witness cases.
