Child Abuse Specialized Medical Evaluation Program
Section 169-C:39-l
169-C:39-l Child Abuse Specialized Medical Evaluation Program Established. –
A child abuse specialized medical evaluation program is hereby established in the department. The program shall include the following elements:
I. Child protective service workers shall have on-call access, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, to an experienced health care professional who is trained in and can advise on the standardized diagnostic methods, treatment, and disposition of suspected child sexual abuse and physical abuse.
II. Department nurses and child protective service workers performing screenings and assessments of reported cases of child abuse shall receive pre-service training in the standardized medical diagnostic methods, treatment, and disposition as well as periodic in-service training by health care providers experienced in child abuse and neglect.
III. Annually, a limited number of designated health care providers geographically distributed shall be trained in nationally recognized curricula to respond to initial presentations of child sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect.
IV. Health care professionals who participate in the training or are members of a multidisciplinary team, working with the department of health and human services or law enforcement, shall participate in periodic peer or expert reviews of their evaluations and undertake continuing education in the medical evaluation of child abuse and neglect according to professional standards.
V. The department shall contract with a health care provider with experience in child abuse and neglect to administer the program in collaboration with participating private and public entities.
VI. Reimbursement rates for health care providers who participate in the program shall reflect the average cost to deliver such services, including the participation in multidisciplinary team activities and associated court proceedings. The rates shall be periodically reviewed and, if necessary, revised.
VII. The commissioner of the department shall adopt rules, under RSA 541-A, relative to the medical evaluation program, training and continuing education requirements, and reimbursement rates.