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Mission: To promote
the safety and well being of Florida's children by providing medically
directed multidisciplinary assessment services for children suspected of
being abused or neglected.
The Department of Health Children's Medical Services
Child Protection Team (CPT) program is a medically
directed, multidisciplinary statewide program designed to supplement the
child protective investigation activities of local Sheriff's offices and the
Department of Children and Family Services in complex cases of child abuse
and neglect.
Section 39.303, Florida Statutes, authorizes the
Children's Medical Services Program in the Department of Health to develop,
maintain, and coordinate child protection team services through contracts
with local community-based programs. Twenty-two Child Protection Teams, some
with satellite offices, provide these services to all children in the state
meeting criteria for referral.
The CPT program operates on the premise that child abuse
and neglect is a multifaceted problem requiring multidisciplinary
evaluation. Child protection teams provide expertise in evaluating alleged
maltreatments of child abuse and neglect, assessing risk and protective
factors, and providing recommendations for interventions to protect children
and enhance their caregiver's capacity to provide a safer environment when
possible.
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