Davis Child Advocacy Center Multidisciplinary Team

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

The Davis Child Advocacy Center (“CAC”) in Chesterfield County supports children suspected to be victims of sexual or extreme physical abuse, and their families. Within the CAC, the County created a multidisciplinary team (“MDT”) of County staff and community partners. The MDT exists because no single discipline can, or should be, responsible for meeting all of the needs of a child who is the victim of sexual or physical abuse. The MDT’s primary objective is to coordinate investigation and maximize services to reduce the trauma to children and families from child abuse. The MDT enhances the protection of children in Chesterfield County through cooperation and collaborating in investigations of reported child abuse. Investigations are conducted by law enforcement and social services. MDT members also provide medical and therapeutic interventions for child victims of sexual abuse and physical abuse to reduce the trauma associated with abuse. The MDT is comprised of staff from the Chesterfield County-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services, Chesterfield County Police Department, the Chesterfield Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Bon Secours Forensic Nursing Program, Chesterfield County Department of Mental Health Support Services, Chesterfield County Victim/Witness Assistance Program, and the Domestic Violence Resource Center. These agencies and community partners coordinate the evaluation and investigation of child abuse cases in Chesterfield County. Coordination avoids duplicative interviewing of children and ensures forensic interviews are conducted in a legally sound manner by professionals specially trained in a nationally-recognized protocol adopted by the Commonwealth of Virginia. This approach promotes successful prosecution of child abuse cases and looks out for the best interests of child victims.