Forensic and Medical Services
Overview
Children who may have been sexually or
physically abused or witnesses to violence are seen by professionals at the
Chadwick Center’s Forensic and Medical Services program, located on the Rady
Children’s Hospital-San Diego campus. San Diego County law enforcement agencies
and the County Department of Health and Human Services regularly refer these
children to this program. The aim of the Forensic and Medical Services program
is to assist the children to provide verbal or physical evidence of the possible
abuse they suffered or witnessed. There are two main types of Forensic and
Medical Services offered by the Chadwick Center: forensic interviews and
forensic medical exams.
Forensic Interview Types:
Forensic interviews are conducted in a
child-friendly interviewing room with a two-way mirror for law enforcement and
Child Protective Services (CPS) to observe and hear the child and the
interviewer. All forensic interviews are videotaped and a report is completed
by the Chadwick Center evaluator who summarizes the session(s) and information
provided by the child.
Forensic Interview
This is a fact-finding interview conducted
by a trained professional who is sensitive to the child’s developmental and
emotional needs while asking appropriate, non-leading questions. The goals
of the forensic interview are to reduce trauma to the child, reduce the need
for the child to be repeatedly interviewed, and to get accurate and detailed
information. This is a single interview process.
Follow-Up Forensic
Interview
This videotaped follow-up interview is
needed when a child has made a disclosure during the first interview but the
case is complex, or the child has developmental, behavioral, or emotional
issues. The follow-up interview is conducted to get any additional
information that was not provided during the first interview.
Extended Forensic
Evaluation
This is a new service being offered by the
Chadwick Center. An Extended Forensic Evaluation is essentially a “slowed
down” forensic interview used with children who have difficulty with the
one-time forensic interview approach, due to age or other factors. Instead
of meeting with the child for a one-time interview, the interviewer meets
with the parent for one session and with the child up to four times.
Although the interviewer is meeting with the child more than once, the same
questions are not asked each time, which could be viewed as leading. The
extended forensic evaluation provides children with more time to develop a
sense of safety and comfort with the interviewer. Each evaluation session
is recorded on videotape and a DVD so that the law enforcement investigator
may observe any or all of the evaluation sessions. The extended forensic
interview process provides a thorough psychosocial assessment and
information about the suspected abuse that is useful for making decisions
about the need for follow-up investigation, protection, therapy and other
services.
Forensic Medical Exams:
Forensic medical examinations are conducted in a
private exam room by an experienced and compassionate medical team with support
and reassurance to patients and families. These examinations are provided by
pediatric fellows, pediatricians and nurse practitioners trained and supervised
in conducting medical evaluations in a sensitive and supportive manner. Most
Medical Services take place at the Chadwick Center, located on the Kearny Mesa
campus of Rady Children’s Hospital. Some evaluations take place in the
inpatient areas of Rady Children’s Hospital.
The following Forensic Medical Exams are
available:
Forensic Sexual Abuse Medical Exam
This is a non-traumatizing medical exam
appropriate for children who are the subject of a report involving suspected
sexual abuse including skin-to-skin contact, sexual intercourse, or oral
sex. There are two types of forensic sexual abuse medical exams:
-
Acute exams, which may only be referred
by local law enforcement jurisdictions and are used in cases in which
the sexual contact is suspected to have occurred within the past 72
hours.
-
Non-acute exams, which may be referred
by both law enforcement and child protective services with parental
consent and do not have suspected sexual contact in the past 72 hours.
Sexual Abuse Screening
Exam
This screening exam is appropriate when
there are concerns about possible sexual abuse; however, the child is not
making a clear disclosure (saying exactly what happened) or has made one,
but a complete forensic medical exam is not needed. This exam is often
appropriate for younger children who may be behaving in sexually
inappropriate ways, have non-specific physical symptoms (irritated genital
area), or they have said something about possible abuse. These appointments
may be privately referred.
Physical Abuse
Examination
Chadwick clinicians provide a forensic
medical exam and documentation of physical abuse injuries.
Physical Abuse Screening
Exam
This screening exam is appropriate for cases
in which injuries are present, but it is unclear if the cause is accidental
or possibly abuse; or the child is not providing a history of physical
abuse.
Medical Consultation
CPS workers or law enforcement investigators
may request a face-to-face meeting with a medical provider for the following
services: Photo Review/Written report, Radiology Review/Written report, and
Medical Record Evaluation/Written report
Location and Contact Information
To
schedule appointments call: 858-966-5980
Fax: 858-278-2365
Clinical Coordinator: Laurie
Fortin
Medical Director: Dr. Cindy Keulbs
Assistant Medical Director: Dr. Marilyn
Kaufhold
Clinic Hours: Interviews and Extended
Evaluations: 8:30 – 5:00
Medical Clinic Hours:
12:30 – 5:00
Located on the Rady Children’s Hospital’s Kearny
Mesa Campus, Building 24
Mailing address:
Chadwick Center for Children and Families
3020 Children’s Way, MC
5014
San Diego, CA 92123
