News Dell Children's Receives State Grant to Assist Abused Children

Expanding Outreach in Austin and Waco

AUSTIN, TX - (August 11, 2010) - Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, a member of the Seton Family of Hospitals, received a $312,000 Medical Child Abuse Resources and Education System (MEDCARES) grant by the Department of State Health Services to establish a Center of Excellence. The grant allows the dedicated team of pediatricians, coordinators and social workers to expand the regional program to improve the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of child abuse and neglect.

Since 1998, child abuse and neglect death rates have consistently been higher in Texas than most other states. Statistics by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services showed nearly 20,000 investigations of child abuse or neglect in 30 Central Texas counties. Of those allegations, more than 35 percent were confirmed.

In 2003, Dell Children's, then Children's Hospital of Austin, formed CATCH (Child Assessment Team at Children's Hospital), a child protection team partnership that includes Dell Children's, Child Protective Services, Austin-Travis County Center for Child Protection, Travis County District Attorney's office and area law enforcement. When abuse or neglect is suspected, CATCH gets involved to assess and determine an appropriate course of action.

"The collaboration of the CATCH program has allowed Dell Children's to provide more consistent and comprehensive care to abused and neglected children in partnership with medical specialists and community agencies," said Dr. George Edwards, CATCH program director. "Now we are expanding this program's scope to include Providence Healthcare Network and the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children in Waco."

Dell Children's will provide the necessary training as well as telemedicine link between Dell Children's and Providence Healthcare Network. Telemedicine technology uses computers, cameras, microphones and videoconferencing to connect the expertise of major medical centers to other facilities and allows medical specialists to virtually see patients who are miles away. With these tools, Dell Children's medical staff will participate directly in the assessment and diagnosis of child abuse or neglect cases in the Waco area.

The collaboration will also include a telemedicine link to the Center for Child Protection, a nationally accredited children's advocacy center in Travis County. Through a partnership with Dell Children's, they provide examinations for children who are suspected victims of sexual abuse. The MEDCARES partnership will expand medical assessment to children who have suffered non-accidental injuries and neglect.

"We are excited to work with Dell Children's Medical Center to provide a program where children will have access to quicker intervention and support by experts in the field of child abuse and neglect," said Amanda Van Hoozer, director of Program Services for the Center for Child Protection. "Providing these medical services at the center's child-friendly office also gives families access to social service and therapeutic support at the same time."

Child abuse and neglect continue to be a significant problem for Central Texas for a number of reasons, including a higher proportion of children living in poverty, high teen birth rates and fewer programs focused on education and prevention.

Through state funding, Dell Children's will expand outreach to establish increased services and programs to combat child abuse and neglect.