CT Health Care Facilities To Look For Child Abuse And Neglect

The Hartford Courant recently reported that the Department of Children and Families and the state's hospitals and clinics have teamed up to help the medical community recognize and identify child abuse or neglect when a child presents with unexplained injuries. The hope is that by doing so, interventions can occur to prevent additional abuse or even death.

DCF issued guidelines that include having the medical staff perform a clinical evaluation of children under age six who present with traumatic injuries. This involves having a child disrobe and put on a gown so the staff can do a complete exam. The next step is to check the child's medical records to see if there were previous injuries or referrals to DCF.