By Mr. Bradley of Hingham, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 82) of Garrett J. Bradley for legislation to establish regional medical diagnostic centers for child sexual abuse.  Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Garrett J. Bradley

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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An Act establishing regional medical diagnostic centers for child sexual abuse.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish eight regional medical diagnostic centers for child sexual abuse affiliated with medical teaching institutions in the Commonwealth that meet the standards adopted by the Secretary. These centers will provide specialized medical examinations of children who present signs of abuse at these hospitals and serve as a referral site for children living in areas where there are no centers that provide comprehensive, specialized medical diagnostic exams.

SECTION 2. Each center shall demonstrate a multidisciplinary approach to identifying and responding to child sexual abuse. The center staff shall include, at a minimum, a pediatrician, a psychologist and/or a social worker who are trained to evaluate and diagnose children who have been abused and their families. Each center shall establish a collaborative working relationship with the local district office of the Department of Social Services in the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the District Attorney’s office from the county in which the child who is undergoing evaluation and treatment resides, each county’s Sexual Abuse Intervention Network (SAIN) teams and local Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs), when they exist.