Suffolk County's D.A.'s Office: Children's Advocacy Center

MEET THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM

The Team is the heart of our CAC's reponse to allegations of child abuse. Each person is crucial to maximize the ability to provide thorough and effective services to children and their families.

SAIN Coordinator: The SAIN Coordinator brings together team members and schedules team interviews of children when they are conducted as part of an investigation for the DSS. The SAIN Coordinator is also a trained Child Interview Specialist.

Law Enforcement: Police detectives are assigned to investigate every criminal case. They are responsible for collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses and alleged perpetrators, making arrests when appropriate, and helping to ensure the child and family's safety.

Assistant District Attorney:Prosecutors decide whether someone should be charged with a crime, which crimes to charge, who should be charged, and also presents evidence in court to a judge and/or jury.

Victim/Witness Advocate:Advocates are the "link" between the child and family and the Team. They are the main contact for the family throughout their case, providing information about victim rights, addressing safety concerns, providing referral information, and helping the family through the court process.

Domestic Violence Consultant:The DV professional is available to address any concerns that the child and non-offending parent may have about their safety or the impact of domestic violence. She assesses risk of violence and provides supportive services, safety planning, information, and referrals.

Child Interview Specialist:Interviewers have specialized training in conducting forensic interviews of children who may have been abused or witnessed serious crimes. They speak with children about their experience while the rest of the team observes from behind a one-way mirror. Their training and skill ensures that reliable information is elicited from the child in a legally, clinically, and culturally sound manner.

Child Protective Services:DSS social workers have a primary mandate to ensure the safety of children in an environment free from abuse and neglect, while preserving family life when possible.

D.A. Investigator:Investigators assist the Team in gathering additional evidence in some cases, including interviewing other witnesses.

Mental Health Consultant:Mental Health Consultants are specially trained therapists with experience providing evaluation and counseling services to children. They provide suggestions during the interview and recommendations regarding follow-up evaluations and counseling. She also assists in identifying services that will be helpful for the child and family.

Medical Consultant:Pediatricians with experience in child abuse conduct thorough medical evaluations and collect forensic evidence when necessary. The medical consultant also reviews medical records to assess a child's injuries and interpret medical findings for investigation teams and Case Review.