This bill mandates that regional diagnostic and treatment centers for child abuse and neglect establish a mobile team of multidisciplinary professionals available 24/7 to respond to hospital requests for forensic child abuse examinations on pediatric patients. The mobile team will perform these examinations at the requesting hospital, and the Commissioner of Children and Families will determine the necessary staff composition for these teams. Additionally, each center must develop a method for hospitals to contact the mobile team and create an intake, referral, and case tracking process to ensure timely services for child victims.

Furthermore, the bill requires hospitals to contact the appropriate regional center for forensic evaluations of pediatric patients under specific circumstances, such as when a child under 13 is referred for suspected abuse or presents with inconsistent injuries. It also mandates that all emergency department staff undergo annual training on identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect. The bill includes an appropriation from the General Fund to support the establishment of these mobile teams, enhancing the current framework of services provided by the existing state-designated centers.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 9:6-8.100, 9:6-8.101