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Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi, Inc.
Founded in October, 1992 as a Non-Profit Organization |
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Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi, Inc.
Founded in October, 1992 as a Non-Profit Organization |
The Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Review Teams have been made possible through funding by the Governor's Task Force, which administers the Children's Justice Act Grant through the Mississippi Department of Human Services. Special thanks to Carol Langendoen and Georgia Nix Miller of Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi, Inc. and Bryan Vonder Bruegge, Jo Anne Daniels, and Bridget Logan of the South Mississippi Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse for the development and implementation of this project.
The purpose of a Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Review Team is to develop a standard response using a team approach to the investigation and prosecution of all child abuse cases, and to function in a manner that causes the least possible trauma to the children and their families. The Team accomplishes this by inviting all disciplines involved in child abuse cases to meet and work collaboratively on those cases using the team approach.
The Mission of the Mississippi Statewide Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Review Team Network is to improve:
This project is a result of a recommendation of the Mississippi Children's Justice Act Task Force and implemented through the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
Donya Witherspoon "Organizing a Multi-Agency Child Death Review Team", Dallas, Texas.
Through discussion and joint-problem solving, Multidisciplinary Team members and their agencies can work together to improve efficiency within each agency, expend resources more effectively, and fill gaps in services in the county. This team approach can also provide indicators and local trends surrounding child abuse/neglect that could be used to prevent abuse/neglect in the future.
The ability to exchange information and share expertise among the various participating agencies will improve the quality of their investigations. Evidence in child abuse/neglect cases tends to be much more subtle and harder to prove than other crimes. Solving child abuse/neglect cases requires that investigators have good training in the unique aspects of child abuse/neglect. Discussions at a multi-agency Team meeting frequently alert members to the need for more information about child abuse/neglect and proper investigative techniques.
After a few meetings, MDT members usually notice that investigations vary greatly depending on the investigator and the agency assigned to the case. Protocols that provide an ordered approach help assure consistency and quality of child abuse/neglect investigations.
Unbelievably, many children are abused/neglected and the agency mandated to investigate and respond to those allegations is not notified immediately, or at all in some cases. The development of reliable and timely methods of notification provides a singularly important justification for the organization of a MDT.
Maintenance of open, healthy relationships among agency personnel improve all aspects of services provided for children and their families. Children do not have a voice and are not able to complain if services provided to them are inadequate or inappropriate.
Over time the MDT may see recurring issues in policy or practice that can be passed on to the appropriate agency in that county. Cumulative information from all Teams may identify needs for changes at the state level, including legislative changes.
The review system provides agencies the opportunity to document patterns and trends of child abuse/neglect in the county. Many of these reports will not be a result of intentional abuse but will fall in the category of public health issues. Identification of these patterns and trends will provide the opportunity to implement local and state programs for educating the public, making recommendations for changes and pooling resources for the areas of need.
The following map contains highlighted counties that have a multidisciplinary child abuse review teams as of April 2001. Click on the link to see the map
Map of Existing Teams (77KB)
To view the protocol for intervention you need Adobe's Acrobat Reader version 4
or higher. You can download the reader for free from Adobe's website by
clicking on the icon.
You can view the protocol for intervention by clicking on its link below or you can download the team training handbook by right-clicking on its link below and selecting "Save As".
Protocol for Intervention (107KB)
The Multidisciplinary Team Training Handbook was developed through extensive research and a collaborative effort by Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi, Inc. and the South Mississippi Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse. This Team Training Handbook was designed for anyone interested in starting and maintaining a child abuse review team. The Team Training Handbook gives step by step instructions on how to recruit participants, plan the meetings, and successfully implement the child abuse review team. Please feel free to contact us for comments or suggestions. We ask that if you use, copy, or distribute the Team Training Handbook please cite our agencies.
To view the team training handbook you need Adobe's Acrobat Reader version 4
or higher. You can download the reader for free from Adobe's website by
clicking on the icon.
You can view the team training handbook by clicking on its link below or you can download the team training handbook by right-clicking on its link below and selecting "Save As".
Team Training Handbook (720KB)
The Resource Directory is an up-to-date listing of child abuse review team members across North Mississippi. Each child abuse review team is designated by county, and the directory contains the names, agencies, and information about team members and contacts across our region. This directory will be updated each month to allow for current and accurate information.
To view the resource directory you need Adobe's Acrobat Reader version 4
or higher. You can download the reader for free from Adobe's website by
clicking on the icon.
You can view the resource directory by clicking on its link below or you can download the resource directory by right-clicking on its link below and selecting "Save As".
Resource Directory North Mississippi (142 KB)
Resource Directory South Mississippi (155 KB)
As the chid abuse review teams expand across the state, it has been discovered that there is another need that has arisen, and that is a chid fatality review component. Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi, Inc. and the South Mississippi Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse are in the process of joining the only existing child fatality review team in the state, which is in Jackson, MS. to serve as a review board for all child fatalities in our areas, not only abuse related deaths, but all child deaths. This effort is put forth in hopes of preventing unnecessary child fatalities across our state. The local child fatality teams will fully staff all child fatalities in the selected counties to assess the circumstances surrounding the death and will then make recommendations to the State Child Fatality Review Board regarding preventative efforts.