Comprehensive evaluation and treatment of child abuse and neglect (CETCAN): Ensuring access to care for safety, well-being of underserved, multicultural, multiethnic children in NYC children

NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) the largest municipal hospital system operates 11 acute care facilities, six Diagnostic and Treatment Center (D&TC), four Long Term Care Facilities (LTC), a Home Care Agency, one Managed Care Health Plan (MetroPlus), and more than 53 Child Health Clinics in the five boroughs. HHC provides health care services to predominantly multicultural. Low socio economic immigrant population.

HHC facilities provide a wide range of health care services to abused children including screenings in the pediatric emergency departments, inpatient units, and pediatric ambulatory care clinics. As part of a city-wide initiative spearheaded by the Mayor's office to strengthen the City's response to child abuse/neglect/safety; an interagency task force was created with several initiatives assigned to different city agencies. HHC was assigned to implement CETCAN whose components include: yearly intensive training for all pediatric healthcare providers in identifying, assessing, and treating child abuse/neglect; certified pediatric emergency departments to maintain a multi-disciplinary Child Abuse Response Teams available 24 hours, seven days a week to provide comprehensive assessments and treatment of children suspected to be victims of child abuse/neglect; wrap around services to include foster care, legal assistance, and community referrals.

Since the CETCAN program was implemented, staff awareness and immediate identification of child abuse/neglect have increased by 100% with provision of immediate referrals to appropriate agencies. Training continuous yearly with an average of 140 staff participating.