Citation

Hebert LJ, Hendrix J. Child Abuse Negl. 1977; 1(2-4): 347-358.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The provision of the most comprehensive funded statewide delivery of diagnostic, protective and treatment services to abused and neglected children and their families in the country has been made possible by the State of Louisiana and its concerned citizenry. The importance of obtaining a legislative mandate establishing and funding the statewide child protection concept by the Louisiana legislature was illustrated.We described how the medical and protective services components cooperate and coordinate at the state and local levels to provide the abused and neglected child and his family with the best possible services available. Throughout our presentation the use of the interdisciplinary team concept was emphasized as the best system known to enhance the reporting, investigation and diagnosis of child abuse and/or neglect cases as well as providing protective and treatment services to the child and his family.The Child Protection Center is the community agency serving as the "core" for the interdisciplinary approach to be successful. The role of each discipline employed by the center was reviewed and how interagency coordination is accomplished through their efforts.The interdisciplinary dispositional conference prior to a child's discharge from the hospital was considered as an excellent method to insure that several disciplines share in the definitive protective and treatment plans for the abused child.Several treatment modalities and their success rates for the child and his family were discussed. The accomplishments of the center were listed.Finally, a review of how the citizenry from the Baton Rouge Community responded overwhelmly by their involvement and commitments in an all out effort to combat a serious social symptom and disease -- child abuse and neglect.